


Ashley Lily Potter - The Girl Who Lived

by xNailedIt



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Complicated Relationships, Draco needs a hug, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Female Harry Potter, Female Protagonist, Genderbending, Good Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter Rewritten, Jealousy, Love/Hate, Sad Draco Malfoy, Unforgivable Curses (Harry Potter), actually this is an AU female drarry, reallyy sloww, slowburn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-23
Updated: 2016-11-27
Packaged: 2018-08-23 20:55:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 28,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8342389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xNailedIt/pseuds/xNailedIt
Summary: Harry Potter rewritten. Ashley Lily Potter is a witch. At age eleven she got her Hogwarts letter and learned about who she is. She became best friends with her fellow students Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Her name is a legend and with a fame like hers she is bound to have enemies. One was Draco Malfoy. *This fanfic takes place during all Harry Potter movies and after*





	1. Pt.1. 1. Philosopher's Stone

**Author's Note:**

> I don't ship drarry but when I thought of gender swapping Harry well.... This happened.

The Dursleys weren't your kind of ideal family. 

At least they weren't Ashley's ideal family. They didn't love her and she didn't love them either. Not a day passed when she didn't wish her parents were there. 

Her room -if you can call it that- was under the staircase of the house, so small that it only contained blankets and a pillow as her bed and her clothes scattered around it. It also worked as their storage. There was hanging light bulb that turned on when you pulled the rope hanging next to it. But Ashley barely spent time in her room anyway. Most of the time she was doing the house chores, acting as their servant. She tried to be decent at school but it was hard with the amount of time she had to herself. 

The sad thing was, Ashley was actually related to these people. They were her aunt, her uncle and her cousin -who she disliked the most.

"Wake up!" 

Ashley twitched in her sleep. Then a bang on the door sent her eyes flying open. "Get up now!" A slap on the door and Aunt Petunia walked away. Ashley rose from her pillow and started trying to shake off her sleep. 

"Come on cousin! We're going to the zoo!" Dudley stepped on the stairs making wood dust seep to the cupboard. 

Ashley grimaced and quickly moved to open the door. "I got it." 

Dudley ran to the kitchen and kicked the door as he went. Ashley scoffed. She opened the door again and walked out. Her pajamas were over sized because they were Dudley's old ones. Dudley was fat.

Ashley walked out and was reminded what day it was. "Here comes the birthday boy!" Said Aunt Petunia. As soon as Ashley walked in, Aunt Petunia turned to her. "Cook breakfast and try not to burn anything." With a less happy voice than before and a harder look by miles.

"Yes Aunt Petunia." Ashley went immediately to the pan with eggs and ham. 

"Happy birthday son." Said Uncle Vernon. "Make me coffee, hurry up will you Ashley."

"Yes, uncle Vernon." She said with frustration. How many things is she supposed to be doing at once?

"HOW MANY ARE THERE?!" Dudley suddenly shouted, so loud that Ashley almost dropped the pan.

"Thirty-six, I counted your presents myself son."

"THIRTY SIX? BUT LAST YEAR I HAD THIRTY-SEVEN!" 

Ashley rolled her eyes and shook her head. What a greedy bastard. 

"Okay, darling, look what we're going to do. We'll buy you two more presents after the zoo." Aunt Petunia said soothingly to Dudley.

Ashley kept looking at Dudley with anger. He was complaining about having one present less than last year like it was the end of the world. Thirty-six presents? Not even in her wildest dreams would Ashley get that many presents. In fact, she has never gotten a birthday present in her life. Or even a 'happy birthday'. She only knows her birthday because she had asked her aunt about it one time when she was younger. Dudley was a spoiled brat.

The trip to the zoo was fine. Ashley liked animals, only wished people didn't have to capture them and show them like a spectacle. They were all at the display of a large snake for time-being. Ashley looked at the still snake with interest. Snakes never were one of her fears, she actually found them quite pretty sometimes. "Why won't it move? Dad, do something."

Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass. "Move." He ordered. Nothing happened.

"MOVE!" Said Dudley and started hitting the glass with his arms making it shake. 

"Stop it, it's sleeping!" Ashley told him and thankfully he did. She shook her head in annoyance. 

"It's boring." Dudley said and walked away to another display. 

Ashley sighed. "I'm sorry about him. It must be awful sitting there every day while people press their faces in on you." The snake moved and rose its head. Its body moved as it faced Ashley. Her eyes widened. "Can you hear me?" Ashley asked not expecting a response but she was surprised. The snaked moved its head up and down like it was nodding. "Uh, I've just never talked to a snake before. Um, you are from Burma, right? Was it nice there? Do you miss your family?"

The snake turned sideways. Ashley followed and looked at the text over the glass. 'Bred in captivity'. 

Her lips turned down. "I understand. Well, if it makes you feel any better I never knew my parents either." She said in a light-hearted way, a half smile on her lips. Then Dudley came rushing to the display and pressed his ugly face on the glass after shouting "Mom, Dad, you won't believe what the snake is doing!"

Ashley rolled her eyes again. She looked at the snake. If only the snake was free it wouldn't have to deal with this idiot. 

Suddenly the glass wasn't there anymore. Dudley fell in, the snake moved and exited the zoo as people screamed. Aunt Petunia was screaming because of her son and Uncle Vernon was looking evilly at Ashley.

Ashley didn't eat for two days.

* * *

 

At the first letter, Ashley was amazed. It was a letter for her! No one sent her letters, who knew she existed anyway apart from the Dursleys and the school? Her happiness was cut short after Uncle Vernon took it. Then more letters started arriving, all addressed to her and her curiosity became bigger and bigger. Why did the Dursleys keep them from her? Who wrote to her? What was so important that it came day after day in the mailbox and in more numbers? 

She never imagined the answers those questions would have. She was a witch, her parents were wizards, the letter was from Hogwarts, a school for witchcraft and wizardry. She's famous, somehow. She still didn't know all about that. There was a magical market called Diagon Alley, full of magical objects and she was there with a giant with a curly beard called Hagrid. She spent her day buying the supplies she needed for Hogwarts according to her letter and oh, the money was from a bank called Gringotts, ran by goblins. She couldn't believe how her life had changed in so little time. 

What she was still missing was a wand. She said so to Hagrid and he led her to a shop named Ollivanders. "Run in there and wait, I've got one more thing to do." Ashley nodded and went in. She had coins in her pockets to afford the wand. 

The shop was full of narrow boxes, one next to the other, stuffed as they filled tall book cases. She let the supplies she was holding down next to her as she stood at the front desk. "Hello?" She said, not very loudly. "Hello?" She repeated louder than before hoping to get some response.

"I wondered when I'd be seeing you Miss Potter." An old man with a smile said to her ontop of a ladder. She was getting used to being recognized by now. He reached the floor and looked at shelves stuffed with wands. "It seems like it was only yesterday when your mother and father came here looking for their first wands." Ashley smiled at that. This man knew her parents, even if it was just for some minutes.

He came to the front desk with one of these boxes in his hands. He opened it and there was a light brown ... was that a wand? He gave it to her. Ashley gently held in her hand and waited. So.. she just paid and left now? "Go on, give it a wave." She nodded. She waved the wand and-

A line of boxes went flying from their shelves. 

"I'm sorry!" She said carefully putting it back. 

"It's alright, apparently that's not the one." He looked around and told her to wait. A minute later he came back with another box on his hands. "Maybe this." He gave her another wand, this one was more yellow-toned.

She waved it again and a vase fell off the desk. It broke. "I'm so sorry." She put it back again.

"That's definitely not the one but no matter, no matter."

A minute later he returned with another box. This time he was almost hesitant. The wand he gave her was darker, it was prettier in her opinion. Although, she hardly knew if wands can be called ugly or pretty. As she held it, it felt right, it felt like it belonged to her and a chilly air went through her.

"Curious, very curious..."

She looked up at the man. "Sorry sir, what's curious?"

"I remember every wand I've ever sold. It so happens Miss Potter that the phoenix whose tail feather resides in your wand, gave another feather." She was fascinated by the fact that her wand somehow had a feather in it. Did all wands have one in them? "Just one other. It is curious that you are destined for this wand when its brother gave you that scar." The man pointed at her forehead where the scar she's known all her life to be from her parents' car accident was. So a person, a wizard in fact, gave her the scar? 

"Who owned that wand?" Who did that to her?

"Oh, we do not speak his name." She felt a hint of fear. "The wand choses the wizard, Miss Potter. It's not always clear why but, I think it is clear that we can expect great things from you." She was wide-eyed. "After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things, terrible, but great." 

So the wizard who gave her the scar wasn't just a wizard. 

She paid for the wand as the bell of the door opening was heard again. She quickly grabbed her supplies and turned around. There was a man and a boy behind her, in dark clothes and their hair white. She glanced at them on her way out, mostly keeping her head low. 

"My, you're Ashley Potter, aren't you?" Said a cold voice. She swallowed and turned around. Both the man and the boy were looking at her, but the voice must have been the man. "Uh, yes, sir."

She wondered how their hair was so white. The man was giving her a look she wasn't sure how to interpret, it was cold, menacing and perhaps degrading. The boy looked at her way friendlier than his father.

"I suppose you're attending Hogwarts?" She nodded mildly. "Hm, I hope you find it interesting there, Miss Potter." He smiled falsely. She turned around and exited the shop not bothering to tell them to have a nice day because she felt uncomfortable with that man and he was the only negative thing in her day.

Hagrid was waiting outside with a beautiful snowy owl.

 

 

 


	2. Pt.1. 2. Philosopher's Stone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not much.

Ashley couldn't stop gawking at everything. Her friend Ron Weasley was by her side as they walked up the stairs of Hogwarts. She still couldn't believe all this was happening. 

She met Hermione Granger on the train, she seemed like a bit of a nerd and school hadn't even started yet. She wasn't sure if they were going to be friends but she hoped. She was glad she had Ron anyway. 

They met a woman at the top of the staircase. Behind her were tall double doors. "Welcome to Hogwarts. In a few moments you will pass through these doors and join your classmates. But before you can take your seats, you must be sorted into your houses." Ashley looked at Ron who looked just as anxious about it as she did. Though, he probably knew more about it than she did. "They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. While you're here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points, any rule breaking and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup."

A boy went in front of the woman exclaiming "Trevor!". He grabbed the toad that was there and excused himself. There were laughs heard around Ashley. She smiled at boy thinking he must be feeling quite embarrassed.

"The Sorting Ceremony will begin momentarily." The woman finally said and left to go somewhere.

Ashley had no one to tell her what any of this was going to be like. She wasn't born into this whole thing, the Dursleys kept everything from her, and were going to for the rest of her life.

"I told you Ashley Potter was coming to Hogwarts." Ashley turned towards the sound of the voice. It was the boy from the wand shop. If one could compare his voice to his father's hard one, the boy's voice was a chipmunk's. All around Ashley, the children started whispering. 

The boy was smirking. "This is Crabbe and Goyle." He pointed with his head to the boys near him. Like she cared what they were called? "And I'm Malfoy." The boy started walking to her. "Draco Malfoy." He was still smirking. His name was strange, not in a bad way. Ron next to her thought otherwise though. She heard him snicker.

Draco Malfoy turned to Ron. "Think my name's funny do you?" He snapped. "I've no need to ask yours. Red hair and a hand-me-down robe? You must be a Weasley." Ashley didn't like the way he talked to her friend. Draco Malfoy turned to Ashley again. "You'll find out some wizarding families are better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort." He glanced at Ron again. "I can help you there." He extended his arm. 

Ashley looked at him in disbelief and dislike. Who did he think he was, going up to her and telling her who she should be friends with? "I think I can be friends with whoever I want." She told him with furrowed brows and a look that said you-can-leave-me-alone-now. The boy was surprised, offended even. He kept looking at her like he didn't understand what language she spoke in. For a second she considered if perhaps she said something very wrong.

The woman came back. Draco Malfoy backed away. "We're ready for you now. Follow me." The double doors opened and they all walked in. 

* * *

 

Ashley was getting very nervous. The girl from the train, Hermione was sorted into Gryffindor. Judging from Ron's reaction. Gryffindor was a good one. Ashley wished that when her name would be called she just wouldn't do anything to embarrass herself like fall off the stool. "Draco Malfoy."

She looked as the blond boy sat on the stool and as soon as the Sorting Hat touched his hair, it shouted "Slytherin!" She raised her brows. That was the first time she heard Slytherin being called out.

Draco Malfoy must have been suspecting his house because he smirked. Did this boy only know how to smirk? Ron next to her said, "Every wizard who went bad was in Slytherin." She knitted her brows, not really sure that was a fair thing to say, there must be dark wizards from all houses. And besides just because the boy is kind of rude or full of himself doesn't mean he is going to be a dark wizard.

After two students got sorted into their houses. It was Ron's turn. For the moment she wished she could be sorted wherever Ron was going to be. Ron sat on the stool. "Ha!" the Hat scared Ron and a lot of other students, even the woman twitched. 'Another Weasley! I know just what to do with you! Gryffindor!" Ron relaxed and smiled. Ashley smiled and was happy for him. 

"Ashley Potter."

Ashley breathed in, she started walking to the stool. She looked back, at the Gryffindor table where Ron was grinning and talking to Hermione. She sat on the stool. The Hat was placed on her head. 

"Hmm... Difficult, very difficult. A lot of courage I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, oh yes. And a thirst to prove yourself. But where to put you?" 

Ashley thought that she wanted to be around nice people for once, with her friend Ron and that nerdy girl she didn't seem bad at all. "You could be great in Slytherin..." 

 _No, no, no._ Ashley thought with a sad look on her face. Even if not everyone is bad at Slytherin, she would rather be in a house like Gryffindor. But of course, everything unfair had to happen to her. "I know, Gryffindor!"

Ashley grinned. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've got such a long way to go!


	3. Pt.1. 3. Philosopher's Stone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life at Hogwarts beginsss

That night Ashley didn't go to bed the same time as the rest of the girls in the dormitory. She opened the glass window and stayed there, sitting in her pajamas as she gazed at the grounds of Hogwarts. Hedwig was next to her too. Her snowy owl. It was Hagrid's birthday gift to her. 

She smiled. _Birthday gift_. Apart from a hand-made cake, a white owl. Hagrid was the first person to wish her and get her something. 

She didn't want to leave Hogwarts. She wanted to spend all her life there. Friends, magic, she was happy. No matter what happened she knew that she was grateful beyond words. 

This was the best thing that happened to her.

* * *

The first official day at Hogwarts as in school started with Transfiguration. The class was taught by Minerva McGonagall. She was quite a strict woman, she actually scolded them for being late saying that maybe she should turn them into pocket watches or maps. 

They shared the class with Slytherin and the professor was Severus Snape whose house was Slytherin. So some favoring towards those students could be possible.

She decided she wanted to learn as much as she could. She wanted to take notes on everything and be a good student. The fact that she missed out on so much must not keep her off track.

 Professor Snape burst into the classroom like a tornado, his black cloak swirling. All whispes died down at the sight of him.

"There will be no foolish wand-wavings or silly incantations in this class." He rested his arms on a desk. "As such, I don't expect many of you to appreaciate the science and exact art that is potion-making. However, for those select few who posess the predisposition, I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses,"

Ashley's eyes were alert, what professor Snape was saying was beyond simply interesting. "I can tell you how to bottle fame," She started writing them down, wanting to remember the cool stuff of this class. "Brew glory and even put a stopper in death." Ashley was wide-eyed.

"Then again, maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts in possession of abilities so formidabble that you feel confident enough to not pay attention."

Ashley felt Hermione's elbow on her arm. She turned with a confused look and then realized that maybe the professor thought she was ignoring him instead of writing down what he was saying. She stopped abruptly. 

"Miss Potter," Ashley blinked.  _Oh no._ "Our new celebrity." She furrowed her brows at his words. She didn't like where this was going. "Tell me what would I get if I added powder root of ashpadel in an infusion of wormwood?" 

Hermione's hand shot up. She glanced at her surprised. How could Ashley know the answer? She shook her head in shame.

"You don't know? Let's try this again. Where Miss Potter would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?" Hermione didn't lower her arm. 

"I don't know, sir." She said as apologetic as she could.

"And what is the difference between mankswood and wolfsbane?"

Are first-years even supposed to know all this? "I don't know, sir." She repeated.

"Hm, such a pity. Clearly, fame isn't everything, is it Miss Potter?"

She disliked professor Snape.

 After a break which included owl mail, they had Flying lessons. 

They went out on the fresh green grass and stood in lines with brooms in front of them. 

Ashley didn't quite catch the name of the professor but it was a woman with short gray spiked hair."Welcome to your first flying lesson. What are you waiting for? Everyone step on the left side of their broomstick. Come on," She did as told. "Stick your right hand over the broom and say 'Up!'"

"Up!" Ashley said and the broom flew straight to her palm. Her mouth formed an 'o' in amazement. She held on the broom as students around kept commanding their brooms to their hands. 

A few rows to the right Draco Malfoy said 'up' a second time and the broom slapped into his grip.

Ashley turned to Ron whose broomstick slapped him across the face. She started laughing."Oh, shut up, Ashley." Hermione next to her was surprisingly having trouble getting the broomstick flying up to her hand.

"Now, once you get a hold of your broom, you mount it. Grip it tight, you don't want to be sliding off the end. When I whistle I want you to kick off from the ground, hard. Keep your brooms steady, hover for a moment then lean forward slightly and touch back down. One, two, three." The professor whistled.

A boy went off the ground. "Mister Longbottom," The professor exclaimed. Neville was scared and he kept going higher.

In the end, Neville made a nasty tour of Hogwarts and ended up with a broken arm free-landing on the ground from a pretty high height. 

"Everyone keep their feet firmly on the ground while I take Mr. Longbottom to the hospital wing. Understand? If I see a single broom in the air the one riding it will be gone from Hogwarts before they can say Quidditch."

There a short silence while everyone was gathered next to each other holding their brooms. Draco Malfoy was in the centre holding Neville's Rememberal and chuckling. "Did you see his face?" He was turned to his friends but everyone was listening. "Maybe if he had given this a squeeze he'd remember to fall on his fat ass." He laughed with his buddies.

Ashley shook her head. "Give that back to him, Malfoy." She told him.

He turned to Ashley. "No." He said determinded. "I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find."

He took off on his broom. "Maybe on the roof. What's the matter, Potter?" Is it a bit behind your reach?" He mocked a few feet off the ground.

Ashley flared her nostrils irritated. Seh had to do this for Neville it was from his family. But at the same time she didn't want to risk getting expelled from Hogwarts especially if it was for Draco Malfoy. 

 Just when she decided to mount her broom Hermione came rushing. "Ashley, no way! You heard the professor. Besides, you don't even know how to fly!" 

Ashley rode her broom and found herself airborne across from Malfoy. She was thrilled but didn't let it show. "Stop the games, Malfoy, give it here."

Malfoy smirked. "Have it your way." He threw Neville's Rememberal away in the sky and it became a little white dot. Ashley gasped and started quickly flying over the ground to catch it.

The air hit her face and made her grit her teeth but her vision stayed on the little crystal ball. She finally caught it almost falling off her broom because of the flip she did. But then she grinned and landed holding the ball in her hands like a trophy.

Her friends started running towards her in glee but then professor Mcgonagall appeared and Ashley's face of pure happiness turned to fear.

If only she knew that she was only becoming Gryffindor's Seeker in Quidditch. And in fact, the youngest seeker in a century.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's not going to be a copy with different pronouns and names. There will be major differences in the future.


	4. Pt.1. 4. Philosopher's Stone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco, the funny idiot strikes again.

The game was amazing. Though, she felt quite scared, in fact when her broom started acting weird she thought she would occupy a bed in the hospital wing for sure.

The happiness and satisfaction that she felt when she caught the snitch was indescribable. She made her house proud, she made them grin and jump around.

She wished her parents could have seen her, her father, especially. 

But, perhaps they did.

 

* * *

 "Hagrid what exactly is that?"

Said Ashley looking at the oversized brown shiny egg on the table. Ron and Hermione were next to her and they were paying close attention to the object, Hagrid was doing the same. 

"That, uh, that's uh," Hagrid stuttered.

"I know what that is!" Ron exclaimed. Ashley looked at him awaiting the explanation. "But Hagrid, how did you get one?" 

"I won it, from a stranger in a pub. He was glad to get rid of it in a matter of fact..."

The egg started shaking uncontrollably. Ashley and Ron backed away slightly.

Suddenly, the egg burst open, parts flying went flying through the room. A small creature stood there, olive and bronze colored. It made little squeaky noises as it moved around. 

"Hagrid, is that," Hermione started. "A dragon?"

Ashley was shocked. Ron next to her replied to Hermione instead of Hagrid who was bewildered. "That's not just a dragon. That's a Norwegian Witchback. My brother studies them in Romania." 

Hagrid was smiling. "Isn't he beautiful? Oh bless him, look, he knows his mommy." He said and chuckled when the dragon neared him. "Hello, Norbert." Hagrid started rubbing the dragon's neck.

"Norbert?" Ashley asked. 

"Yeah, well he's gotta 'ave a name, don't he?" Hagrid explained.

Ashley smiled with Hermione and Ron laughed next to her. Hagrid kept rubbing at Norbert's neck, probably so much that the dragon coughed a fireball. 

The trio looked in horror as the fire burnt Hagrid's beard. It didn't do any severe damage though. He patted the beard and the little sparks went dead. The only thing left was a bit of smoke. 

"He's got to get trained up a bit of course." Hagrid suggested and the three kids looked at the baby dragon in worry. Norbert coughed a spark.

"Who's that?" Hagrid asked staring at some thing- someone behind them. All three of them turned around.

A boy with blond hair was looking at them from the window. He left quickly when he realized he was noticed. Ashley sighed. 

"Draco Malfoy." She told Hagrid. 

"Oh dear..." Hagrird murmured. Why? Why was he spying on them? What did he want? 

The trio left Hagrid's. Back in Hogwarts, they were heading to the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Hagrid always wanted a dragon. He told me the first day we met." Ashley said.

"That's crazy. And worse Malfoy knows." Ron said in desperation.

"Is that so bad?" Ashley wondered. What did it matter if he knew? She was only annoyed because he was spying on them. 

"It's bad..." Ron trailed off. They were all looking at the face of Professor McGonagall. She was in her sleeping robes, holding a lighted lantern.

"Good evening." She said with a strict look. 

Malfoy came out behind her with a mischievous grin. 

So that's why it's bad.

Of course, Malfoy had to tell the professor, anything to get them in trouble. She doubted he did for the school rules. If it was anyone else he would ignore them. 

They were led into a long room as they stood before professor McGonagall and silently awaited her speech.

"Nothing, I repeat, nothing," Malfoy was laughing quietly. "Gives a student the right to walk around the school at night. As a punishement for your actions, fifty points will be taken." 

Ron and Hermione's jaws were wide in shock. "Fifty?!" Ashley was astounded. She looked at the person responsible for this and he was nodding at them, faking his pity. 

"Each. And to ensure it doesn't happen again, all four of you will receive detention." The professor told them.

Malfoy stopped grinning. He neared the woman. "Excuse me, professor. Perhaps I heard you wrong. I thought you said the four of us."

"No, you heard me correctly Mister Malfoy. As honourable as your intentions were," Ashley looked at him with her head to the side and her lips a line in fake pity like his were before. "You too, were out of bed afterhours. You will join your classmates in detention."

Malfoy turned his head around and looked at them with irritation.  _Darn it!_

* * *

Their punishment was to be fulfilled outside the castle. 

 They were following Filtch who held a lantern as he led them. They were all a litlle scared, what could be in store for them? Plus, Filtch wasn't helping. "A pity they let the old punishments die. There used to be a time when detention was hanging by your thumbs in the dungeons. God, I miss the screaming." Malfoy and Ashley made a face while Hermione and Ron had their eyes wide open and swallowed. 

"You will be serving detention with Hagrid tonight. He's got a little job to do inside the Dark Forest." They reached Hagrid's hut where a fire was burning outside and Hagrid was holding a crossbow."Oh, good God man, you're not on a bad bloody dragon, are ya?"

Hagrid breathed heavily. "Norbert's gone. Dumbledore sent him off to Romania, to live in a colony." 

"Well, that's good isn't it?" Hermione told him. "He'll be with his own kind."

"Yes, but what if he doesn't like Romania? What if the other dragons are mean to it?" Filtch rolled his eyes. "He's only a baby after all."

"Oh for God's sake, put yourself together man. You're going to the Dark Forest after all." Filtch said.

"The Forest? I thought that was a joke. We can't go in there!" Malfoy said with a worried look. Ashley wondered why. "Students aren't allowed, and there are," A howl was heard and Malfoy nodded to it in a way. "Werewolves." Ashley widened her eyes in fear as she looked from Malfoy to the Forest and Filtch.

"There are more than werewolves in the trees there. Be sure of that." Filtch said and he didn't help anyone in fact he made things worse because they were all scared enough to cry. "Night, night." Filtch left, walked back to Hogwarts with his lantern.

"Right, come on." Hagrid said and they started walking into the Dark Forest.

 The forest was not vast at all. The trees were bare and increbidly tall, leaving enough space between the trees for dirt and mist. It was dark alright. And they made sure to stay close to Hagrid, like he was their savior.

Soon they reached a spot where a puddle of a liquid was on the ground. Hagrid leaned over it and he let his fingers be painted with the liquid. Surprisingly, the liquid's color was silver.

"Hagrid, what is that?" Ashley asked, scared he would tell her it was some other monster that would want to eat them. 

"See that? That's unicorn blood that is." All their jaws were open. Ashley couldn't believe her ears. Unicorns? Did all magical creatures exist? "I found one dead a few weeks ago." Her eyes turned sad and her jaw closed. 

"Now, this one must be badly hurt by someone." Ashley saw something moving in the corner of her eye. She turned her head to the right and saw something moving through a tree to another but then it was lost. Maybe it was her mind playing tricks on her making her see things that weren't there. 

She turned her head to Hagrid again. "Now its our job to find the poor beast. Ron and Hermione you go with me." 

"Okay." Ron said with a strangled voice, he gulped afterwards.

Malfoy sneered already knowing the next words. "Ashley you go with Malfoy." Ashley glanced at him and nodded.

"Alright, but I want Fang!" Malfoy exclaimed with a hard expression before anyone went anywhere. 

"Fine. But just so you know, he's a bloody coward." Hagrid told him. As if the dog heard him, he whined. 

Malfoy turned to look at him, so did Ashley as their faces turned into an expression of exasperation.

 So they parted ways, to look for the wounded unicorn. Hagrid gave Ashley and Malfoy his lantern. The two walked silently in the Dark Forest, Ashley was scared to the bone but didn't want to let it show. Definitely not in front of the person whose fault was that they were in the first place.

Malfoy held the lantern. He broke the silence by saying, "Wait until my father hears about this!" He exclaimed as he stomped with a pained expression that kept faltering. 

Ashley raised her brows. "If I didn't know better I would say you were scared, Draco." She used his first name to expand her mocking. She knew it was true, but he teased her before. It was only fair.

 He huffed. "Scared, Potter." He muttered almost spitting when he said 'Potter'. She smiled humorously to herself. They walked a few seconds and then Draco Malfoy turned around abruptly. "Did you hear that?" He snapped. 

When Ashley looked around in confusion he huffed again and stomped forward holding the lantern higher. Ashley laughed. Yep, he was definitely scared.

"What are you laughing at? Come on, Fang." He went ahead as if to prove something and the dog was following. He kept muttering 'scared' under his breath. Ashley knew he was truly terrified. 

They walked a bit farther and the dog stopped. Draco Malfoy stood next to Fang with a horrified expression. Ashley looked straight ahead.

The unicorn was lying down on the ground immobilized and a cloaked figure stood over it. Suddenly, Ashley's scar on her forehead started hurting. She touched it in pain as she gritted her teeth.

The figure looked up and they realized it was drinking the blood of the unicorn as it was dripping from its dark face.

Malfoy started screaming, Fang started barking and Ashley hurt too much to say or do anything. Malfoy started running with Fang, still screaming. Ashley backed away, terrified. The cloaked figure started moving towards her though.

Her heart was beating quickly in fear, she turned around to run but her feet couldn't move on the roots on the ground for some reason. 

A centaur came and saved her from the horrifying entity and she was very grateful. The centaur told her that unicorns were creaures of innocence and their blood can heal you if you are at the point of nearly dying but to kill that creature, it means you are cursed to live a miserable life. When she asked who would do that, the answer she got made her think that person was... 

Hagrid arrived with everyone else. Draco Malfoy had led them where she was. "Are you okay, Ashley?" Hagrid asked her. She nodded. 

She looked at Malfoy whose brows were furrowed at what she wasn't sure but he had helped her hadn't he? He showed them where she was so that they could go and save her. They might have been a minute late but oh well.

On the way back to Hogwarts she talked to him. "Did you tell them to come and help me?"

Draco Malfoy froze. "No. I was forced, they saw me and wanted to know where you were."

He said it with much emphasis and nodded to himself. But Ashley stopped considering making Draco her friend, he clearly didn't want to be that. Anymore.

What was she thinking anyway? He was insulting and stupid. Maybe she wanted not to have to deal with him again, make him not want to get them in trouble all the time but appearently that was impossible.

Ashley walked forward next to Hermione.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up is Ashley Potter and the Chamber of Secrets!


	5. Pt.2. 5. Chamber of Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back at it again

Ashley was amazed by the Weasley house. It wasn't any sort of big and fancy house but it was a place anyone could feel welcomed in, it was warm and cozy. The most brilliant of all things in it was how the kitchen was acting on its own. For example a dish was washing itself in the sink. 

She was so glad that Ron was her best friend. All his family were great people she felt like, even if she still hadn't met all of them. His mother well, she shouted a bit but she had good reason, Ashley thought. 

After her speech to Fred, George and Ron whose heads were tilted down, she smiled to Ashley and welcomed her in their home.

After that, Mrs Weasley told them to sit down at the dining table for breakfast. Ashley sat down next to Ron. The table was full of food, she considered how, back in her prison, the Dursleys were the ones to sit down and expect food from her.

Mrs Weasley encouraged Ashley to dig in the food and Ashley did so, no longer feeling odd like she was eating someone else's meal.

Suddenly banging noises were heard from the stairs. A red-headed girl just like the rest of the family, reached the kitchen and asked her mother where her jumper was.

While her mother replied and her head turned a little to the left and she noticed Ashley. Her eyes widened.

"Hello," Ashley said to the girl who was at loss for words.

"Hi, um, you're Ashley Potter." She started widening her mouth to form a grin. Ashley nodded. "Wow, um welcome." She turned to her mom and thanked her. She walked up the stairs again and vanished.

Ashley turned to Ron. "Is your sister going to Hogwarts with us?" 

"Yeah, it's going to be Ginny's first year." Ron answered.

She will probably be in Gryffindor too, Ashley assumed with a whole family in it. 

A man came in the house with a loud voice. "Good morning, Weasleys!" Everyone besides Ashley said 'good morning' back to him. "Ugh, such a long night, nine raids! Nine!" He exclaimed. 

"Raids?" Ashley asked Ron next to her.

"Dad works at the Ministry of Magic." She raised her brows and looked back at her food. Mr Weasley sat down at the head of the table which happened to be at the left of Ashley. 

"And who are you?" He questioned with interest. 

Ashley looked up and saw him inspecting her. "Oh, sorry sir, I'm Ashley, sir, Ashley Potter." 

 He was stunned. "Are you, really?" He asked with a bewildered smile. Ashley smiled back. "Well, Ron has told us all about you of course, when did she get here?" He asked cutting into his toast.

Mrs Weasley replied. "This morning." Her hands went to her hips. "Your sons flew with that enchanted car of yours to Surrey and back last night." 

Mr Weasley looked at Fred and George. "Really? How'd it go?" He asked in a hushed tone and the guys started talking, even Ashley started a sentence but they were all cut off by Mrs Weasley's hand slapping Mr Weasley's arm. 

Mr Weasley coughed and sat straighter. "I mean, that was a very bad indeed, boys. Very wrong of you." Ashley smiled with Ron. She knew their dad was actually more than okay with what they did.

"Now, Ashley, you must know all about Muggles." Ashley furrowed her brows. "Tell me, what exactly is the function of a rubber duck?" He asked awaiting her repsonse and chewing on his bite. 

Ashley's characteristics softened in the humor and strangeness of the question. "Um," 

Thankfully an owl screeching was flying to the window and saved her from having to answer that. "Oh that must be Errol with the post." Said Mrs Weasley.

The owl banged its head on the glass of the window so hard it fell down. They all cringed at the poor owl. "Go, Percy." Mrs Weasley told her older son.

"He always does that..." Ron murmured. Percy stood from the table and helped Errol back on the window. Then he grabbed the parcel from its beak.

"Oh, look it's our Hogwarts letters. And they sent Ashley's as well." Percy said examining them. He gave them to his brothers and Ashley. 

"Dumbledore must know you're here, Ashley." Mr Weasley told her. Over the last year she had come to like the Hogwarts Headmaster. He was a wise and friendly old man.

"This list won't come cheap, mom. The spellbooks are really expensive." Said one of the twins. 

"We'll manage." Mrs Wealsey reassured them. Ashley felt a little bad, she had so much money in her vault at Gringotts. "There's only one place we're going to get all of this. Diagon Alley." She smiled.

A little while later, when everyone had finished breakfast and dressed up they gathered around the fireplace. Ashley was given a cloak that belonged to Ron. It was a little misfitting, obviously but it didn't matter, it wasn't very appearent. 

Mrs Weasley grabbed a ceramic cup of some dust inside and turned to Ashley. "Ashley you can go first."

"But, mom, Ashley has never travelled with floo powder before." Ron explained.

"Floo powder?" Ashley wondered.

"Oh, you go first then, Ron, so Ashley knows how to do it." Mrs Weasley instructed.

Ron nodded and walked to his mother. He grabbed a handful of dust and stood under the fireplace. "Diagon Alley!" He shouted before he was vanished into green flames that erupted.

Ashley backed away surprised and scared.

 "See? It's quite easy darling. Don't be afraid. Come on." Mrs Weasley was smiling.

Ashley swallowed and walked to her. She gathered the powder in her fist and stood under the fireplace. "That's it, don't forget to speak very clearly."

Ashley nodded. "Diagon Alley."

 

* * *

They entered a bookshop to buy some of the books they needed but it wasn't the only reason.

There were lots of people in that room, even photographers and Ashley couldn't help but question what was happening. They also found Hermione there. Ashley hugged her, telling her how great it is to see her and Hermione said the same back to her. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, Gilderoy Lockhart!" Someone shouted. 

Mrs Weasley patted her hair and smiled saying "Here he comes," Ginny and Hermione next to Ashley were also smiling. Ashley found this peculiar.

A man walked out of an archway with a grin. He was wearing a blue suit and his hair was a sandy blond color. Mrs Weasley patted her ginger hair again. Ron rolled his eyes. Ashley got it, obviously this man had an appeal to the female audience and so that's why they were all acting love-struck.

A photographer pushed to go in front of the man and said, "Excuse me, this is for the Daily Prophet." Gilderoy Lockhart posed and flashed a toothy grin at the camera.

Ashley didn't quite get the attraction. She was unfazed by the man's looks and kept glancing at Hermione and Ginny.

Gilderoy Lockhart stopped posing and looked behind the photographer. Her scar must have been showing because his next words were, "It can't be, Ashley Potter." 

Ashley was startled. The photographer grabbed a hold of her and pushed her to Gilderoy Lockhart. She was standing too far probably, because Gilderoy Lockhart grabbed her too and shoved her next to him. "Nice big smile Ashley, hopefully we'll make the front page." He whispered to her.

Ashley smiled but she was sure it came off exactly as it was; fake. The picture was taken and Gilderoy started talking. "Ladies and gentlemen what a terrific moment this is, when Ashley walked into Flourish & Blotts this morning to purchase my autobiography ' _Magical Me'._ " He paused and the crowd started clapping. 

Ashley felt extremely uncomfortable "Which incidently is currently celebrating its seventh week at top of the Daily Prophet bestseller list," More clapping. Ashley didn't know but Draco Malfoy was observing the scene from the upper floor of the shop.

"She had no idea that she would in fact be leaving with my entire collected works," He continued and gave Ashley a pile of books, she tried to hold them as best as she could. "Free of charge." He pushed Ashley away from him.

Ashley stumbled to her friends and Mrs Weasley, who, was more than delighted to lift the burden off Ashley's arms. "You all wait outside, I'll get these signed." Ashley was happy to leave the shop. She and Ron walked through the crowd gladly, though the same couldn't be said for Ginny and Hermione.

Draco Malfoy held a book in his hands, seeing them approach he quickly tore off the page and crumpled the paper in his fist.

He neared Ashley. "I bet you enjoyed that, didn't you, Potter? Famous Ashley Potter. You can't even enter a bookshop without making the front page." Was he jealous?

Draco had grown a bit taller, but his hair was as blond and white as always, obviously that and his bitter attitude hadn't changed. 

Ashley sighed. "Leave me alone." She said in a tired tone.

Draco Malfoy seemed ready to say something else but something that looked like a cane hooked on Draco's shoulder. He scowled. 

"Now, now Draco, play nicely." Ashley almost laughed at the command. Lucius Malfoy was before her, looking the same way he did a year ago, with the same cold voice. "Ashley Potter, I believe we didn't quite meet last time. Lucius Malfoy." She nodded. 

"Forgive me," He pushed her to him. Everyone was moving her around today, and without her permission! He touched her forehead with his gloved finger. "Your scar is legend. As of course, the wizard who gave it to you." He smiled cunningly.

She kept her gaze firm. "Voldemort killed my parents." She broke free and walked a step back to her original spot. Lucius Malfoy frowned. "He was no legend, he was a murderer." 

"Hmm, you must be very brave to say his name. Or very foolish." Lucius Malfoy smirked. Ashley glared at him. He turned to Ron. "Oh, let's see, red hair and a vacant expression, second-hand book. You must be the Weasleys." He said to Ron and his siblings.

Mr Weasley arrived to the group. "Children, we're done." 

"Well, well, well, Weasley senior."

Mr Weasley looked up to Mr Malfoy. "Lucius."

"What a time it is to be at the Ministry, Arthur, all those extra raids. I do hope the payment is worth the time but judging by the state of this," He looked the book over. "I think not. What is the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"

"We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy." Arthur Weasley snapped.

"Clearly." He then added, "Associating with Muggles," Hs shook his head. "And I thought your family could sink no lower." He muttered. "I'll see you at work."

Lucius Malfoy exited the bookshop and Draco walked quickly to Ashley. "I'll see you at school." Draco followed his father outside.

Ashley fought the urge to roll her eyes at his attempt to scare her and copy his father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I liked writing this one but it felt like it took forever c:


	6. Pt.2. 6. Chamber of Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rough start

Ashley couldn't believe the car kicked them and their belongings out and drove off on its own into the Dark Forest.

Luck was definitely not on their side. They almost died from a damn tree!

At least they arrived at Hogwarts and they still had their stuff. Ashley and Ron took them to the hallway with the other students' things along with their pets, Hedwig and Scabbers-Ron's rat. They started walking up the stairs of Hogwarts. 

"So a house elf shows up in my bedroom, " Ashley started with exasperation. "We can't get past the barrier to 9 and three quarters, we almost got killed by a tree!" She exclaimed and shook her head. "Clearly, someone doesn't want me here, this year."

Ron had to agree. Filtch and his cat were at the top of the stairs and the duo stopped when they saw him. "Take a good look around ya, kids. This might be the last time you set a foot in this castle." Ashley glanced at Ron and he did the same as worry filled them.

"Oh dear, we are in trouble." Filtch smiled evilly.

Ashley and Ron followed him to an office.

"You were seen by no less than seven Muggles!" Snape shoved the newspaper with the car flying through the sky as the cover in their faces. "Do you have any idea how serious this is?" 

Ashley and Ron were silent. "You could have risked the exposure of our world! Not to mention the damage you made to the Whimping Willow, that's been in these grounds since before you were born!"

"To be honest professor, I think it did more damage to us..." Ron said and though true, it was a bad idea.

"Silence!" Snape shouted. They didn't even breathe. "I assure you that if you were Slytherin and your fate rested with me the both of you would be on the train home- tonight!"

They swallowed.

"But they are not." An old voice said. They all turned to the vouce to see the bearded Headmaster. Professor McGonagall was also with him. 

"Headmaster, " Snape gathered himself. "These two have floated the degree of the Restriction of Underage Wizardry." He accused.

"I am familiar with the laws, Severus, having written quite a few of them myself. However, as Head of the Gryffindor house it is for professor McGonagall to decide the appropriate action." Dumbledore said.

"You're going to expel us, aren't you?" Ron asked quietly while his and Ashley's face was full of sorrow. Ashley thought she would get depressed if she returned to her Muggle relatives.

"Not today, Mister Weasley." McGonagall said. 

Ron grinned with Ashley as they felt relieved. 

"But you must both must understand the seriousness of what you have done. I'll be writing to your families tonight. And you will both receive detention." Minerva concluded with a firm look.

They could handle it. She could handle it. As long as she was home.

 

* * *

The next day they were having their first Herbology lesson with professor Sprout. They were in the greenhouse, wearing brown robes for the lesson. 

Ashley was standing next to Hermione. This, too was a class they shared with Slytherin. 

"Good morning, everyone." The professor said walking into the room putting on her gloves. Ashley and Hermione stopped small talking but that couldn't be said for the rest of the class as well.

She hit on a pot making a noise. "Good morning, everyone!"

"Good morning, professor Sprout." They said and sounded synchronized. 

"Welcome to Greenhouse No3, second-years! Now gather around, everyone!" They walked closely to the long table of green plants. "Today we are going to repot mangrakes." Shs said taking a pot of a plant and placing it in the area in front of her. "Who here can tell me the properties of the mandrake root?"

Hermione's hand shot up. "Yes, Miss Granger." 

"Mandrake or mandragora," Hermione started, "is used to return those who have been petrified to their original state." Professor Sprout nodded. "It's also quite dangerous, the mandrake's cries are fatal to anyone who hears it." She finished and smiled.

"Excellent! Ten points to Gryffindor!" Ron from across the table smiled at her. Ashley nodded with a grin,  _thanks, Hermione!_

The rest of the Gryffindor students smiled as well. Slytherin students did anything but that. Draco Malfoy in particular, was sending death glares.

"Now, their cries can't kill you yet, but they knock you out for a few hours so that's why I've given each of you a pair of earmuffs. So please put them on, straight away. Quickly." 

Ashley put them on, they felt nice. It was little furry. "Flaps tied down and watch me closely." She told them. "You grasp your mandrake firmly, you pull it straight out of the pot," She took out the plant and a brown dirty creature was underneath, flailing its legs and hands as it wailed. 

A piercing cry even through the earmuff. Even the professor made a face. "Now you put it in the other pot and sprinkle a bit of soil so he can get warm." The creature didn't stop crying, Ashley held her earmuffs tight.

She saw Neville to the left across from her lose his balance and fall down. "Ugh, Longbottom must have neglected his earmuffs." 

Draco and his best buddies snickered. Ashley was concerned. "No m'am, he just fainted." Seamus said who was next to him. 

"Yes, well, just leave him there." Professor Sprout waved her hand dismissing it. Ashley connected her brows in surprise. Neville should go to the infirmary or something. "Right, so, plenty of pots to go around. Grasp your mandrake," Ashley put her fist around the leaves of it. "And pull it out."

Ashley pulled it out and its cries were now combined with the rest of the students' mandrakes. Merlin, her ears would have to be nurtured. 

She quickly put it down in the pot as she breathed heavily. She looked around, everyone else was still staring at the creature and wincing. Draco Malfoy a few students to her left was playing with his mandrake, placing his finger in its mouth and stroking it. Then the mandrake caught his finger. 

Ashley chuckled. Malfoy started pulling his finger away with no result at first and then suddenly it was let out. His nostrils flared as he looked at the mandrake with hate and cleaned his finger on his greenhouse robe. He pushed it down to the pot with force and glared at it.

Ashley couldn't stop laughing. 

 

* * *

Back at the Great Hall, Ashley was sitting next to Ron as he started to tape his wand.

It got broken when they were on the Whimping Willow. She felt bad for him. She didn't think the tape was going to do any good but she let him do it.

Ron looked at it with desperation. "Say it," Ron told Ashley. "I'm doomed."

Ashley looked at him with pity. She nodded her head when she said, "You're doomed."

 Ashley's name was called out by someone and she turned around by instinct. The flash of a camera blinded her for a second and she blinked once, twice looking at the young boy at the other side of the table with confusion. 

"I'm Colin, I'm in Gryffindor, too!" He said excitedly with a grin. 

"Um, that's great." Ashley could only say, thinking how the fact didn't mean he could snap a picture of her just like that. 

A familiar owl came flying to the Gryffindor table and knocked over the bowl of chips. Everyone around them laughed even the neighboring tables. A blond boy from Slytherin, especially. 

"Bloody owl," Ron muttered. He took the letter from its beak, it was red. It was adressed to him. Ron started shaking.

"Look, everybody, Ron got himself a howler!" Everyone started laughing again, knowing what Seamus was talking about. 

Ashley had no idea what a howler was.

"Open it, Ron. I ignored one from my grandmother once. It was horrible." Neville told Ron. 

He nodded and with trembling hands he opened the letter. Which flew and hovered in the air in front of his face as it turned into an impression of a mouth with teeth. Then, it spoke in Mrs Weasley's voice.

 "RONALD WEASLEY," Ron gulped.

"HOW DARE YOU STEAL THAT CAR? I AM ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED! YOUR FATHER'S OUT FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK AND ITS ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT! IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE, WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT HOME!!" The letter turned to Ginny a couple of seats farther. "Oh and Ginny, dear, congratulations on making Gryffindor. Your father and I are so proud."

It turned to Ron again and somewhat pretended to spit in his face. Then it teared itself apart as it touched the wood of the table again.

Ron was breathing heavily. Ashley felt bad for him again, the entire school had heard his mother shout at him.

Hermione was looking at him with pity as well. She didn't ask him if he was okay, she knew he wasn't. Thankfully, the Dursleys couldn't send her a howler, not that they cared about what happened.

They walked to the next class silent.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rough start at Hogwarts


	7. Pt.2. 7. Chamber of Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hope you're enjoying yourself :)

The class after the fiasco at the Great Hall was Defense Against The Dark Arts. For some reason, the star from Flourish & Blotts was going to be their teacher this year. There even was a painting of him, painting. No, seriously. There also was an object on the desk, covered with a velvet red fabric. 

Ashley was sitting with Ron, letting Hermione be all giggly and bashful with another friend of hers. She waited for the professor to start the lesson. 

The door opened and Gilderoy Lockhart emerged in a gold suit. "Let me introduce you to your new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher," He spoke slowly, with a smile evident in the corner of his mouth. "Me." He grinned and chuckled. Ashley blinked, narrowing her eyes. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, third class, honour remember of the Dark Force Defense League and five times winner," He winked at his painted self who laughed. Ashley was frowning. "Of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award." He was grinning as he walked to his desk. 

"But I won't talk about that, I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at it." He laughed.

Ashley turned to Ron sideways with an expression of disbelief and 'what the hell?' Ron was looking back at her that way, too. The girls were staring at him, love-struck like she expected. Gilderoy Lockhart grabbed his wand and changed to being serious. "Now, be warned," He was wide-eyed making the students alert. "It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizard kind. You might find yourselves facing your worse fears in this very room." He knocked the clothed object on the desk with his wand. It shook and moved. The students prepared themselves.

"Know that no harm will come before you whilst I am here," He went to uncover the object. "I must ask you not to scream," At that point, Ashley and everyone else, basically, were getting anxious and a little bit scared. "It might provoke them!" He took away the red cloth and a cage full of electric blue little creatures that were whining appeared. Ashley didn't know what they were, if they were really dangerous but she was expecting something worse. 

"Cornish pixies?" Asked Seamus with a laugh. The students' fear was thrown out the window and amusement was replaced. Even Draco Malfoy found himself hiding a laugh. Ashley, judging by everyone's reactions was grinning in humor. 

"Freshly caught Cornish pixies." The professor said. "Laugh all you want boy, but pixies can be devilishly tricky little creatures. Let's see what you make of them." He unlocked the cage and set them free. The pixies flew fast at the students, they were millions, and started attacking them, books, hair or any other part of them they liked.

Ashley ducked and avoided a pixie only to have another trying to grab her by her robe. Hermione shot up and moved out of the way, knocking her books over and Ron was trying to hide. "Oh come on! They're only pixies!" Was Lockhart trying to be sarcastic right now? A pair of pixies grabbed Neville Longbottom by his ears, the boy started screaming. 

Students were already heading straight to exit of the classroom, trying to save themselves. Many were using their books as shields against the pixies or weapons. Some tried to hit them so they would stop what they were doing to them. The pixies hang Neville to the chandelier. "Please, get me down!" He shouted. Draco Malfoy was running out of the class as fast as he could. A pixie grabbed Hermione's hair. "Get off me!" She shrieked.

"Be still!" Ashley told her and used a book to hit the pixie. She got the pixie thrown away. 

"Peskipiksi Pesternomi." Said  Gilderoy Lockhart with a wave of his wand but that had no effect. Actually, a pixie stole his wand and started using it around the room. Realizing the chaos that was going on all around him, he made a run for the office upstairs. "I expect the three of you to nip them back in the cage." He quickly grinned and shut the door behind him so no pixies would go through.

"I can't believe it!" Ashley exclaimed. What a useless man, he was!

"What do we do now?!" Ron asked in panic. If she could, she would try to think of any spell she knew of that could stop them pixies. But the little devils were annoying all three of them immensely. 

Hermione breathe in. She stood up, her wand in hand and said, "Immobulus!" 

The pixies stopped moving. Hermione smiled and everyone else left in the room was relieved. "The guy's useless!"

"Don't be silly, Ron. I'm sure he was doing it for our experience." Hermione claimed.

Neville who was still hanging from the chandelier said with sadness, "Why is it always me?"

 

 

* * *

 

Once the lessons were over Ashley had Quidditch practice. She couldn't wait to start the game this year. She loved being the Seeker and she was good at it so, she enjoyed the position.

She was in her red and gold Quidditch robes holding her broomstick in her one hand, the broom professor McGonagall had given her last year. She was very thankful. It was one of the reasons she liked the professor, truth be told. She walked ahead as the team walked the hall leading to the grounds. Wood was next to her, the captain of the Gryffindor team.

"I spent the summer devising a whole new Quidditch program. We are going to train earlier, harder and longer." He told Ashley. His gaze hovered at the ground. "What?" He muttered. He groaned. "No way." Ashley looked and saw the Slytherin team in their robes and brooms heading for the grounds as well.

Both teams stopped walking when the captains reached each other. "Where do you think you're going, Flint?" Wood asked the Slytherin captain.

"Quidditch practice." He said throwing his free arm in the air, as if saying, obviously!

"I booked the pitch for Gryffindor today." He snapped.

"Easy, Wood." Flint said. "I've got a note." He gave Wood a piece of paper.

 Wood took the paper and unraveled it, with a sigh. He started reading it aloud. "I, professor Snape, do hereby give the Slytherin team permission to practice today, in need of training their new Seeker." Ashley looked at Wood, realizing what he said. "You've got a new Seeker?" She looked at the Slytherin students. 'Who?"

The captain of the team and the player next to him stepped aside and let the new Seeker come through. He had brushed back platinum blond hair and a smirk. "You?" Ashley let out with a confused tone, dragging out the word. Her eyebrows furrowed.

"That's right." Draco Malfoy said with confidence. "And that's not all that's new this year," He brought his broom into a position. 

"Those are Nimbus 2001s." Ron said with shock. He and Hermione had walked towards the two groups, thinking that trouble would occur."How'd you get those?" 

The brooms were shiny black, with gold lettering and a black and lime nicely shaped end. "A gift from Draco's father." Flint said.

"You see, Weasley, unlike some," Malfoy had turned to the ginger haired boy. "My father can afford the best." He smirked so wide, his icy eyes had turned to slits.

Hermione scowled. "At least no one in Gryffindor bought their way in, they got in out of pure talent." Ashley looked at Malfoy and back to Hermione in worry. He walked to her with a cold look. 

"No one asked for your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood." He said with disgust. Ashley heard gasps all around her. Hermione was frowning. Ashley didn't understand what that meant, was it a very bad word, or something? 

"You'll pay for that one, Malfoy." Ron said, taking out his wand. "Eat slugs!" The spell made a green glow, Draco tried stepping back. However, Ron was the one thrown away in the distance by his spell. He fell on the ground with a force. Hermione and Ashley started running to his side ignoring Malfoy's snickers.

The whole Gryffindor team ended up going to Ron. "You okay, Ron?" Hermione asked in concern. Ashley was staring at him in worry seeing he was going to be sick. His face was purple. He finally puked, only he didn't. A slug came out of his mouth, falling on the ground. Everyone turned around and exclaimed 'ohs' in disgust. Even Ashley had to turn around for a second. 

Suddenly the boy that snapped the picture of Ashley at the Great Hall took a picture of the slug. "Whoah, can you turn him around, Ashley?" He asked in excitement.

Ashley baffled by Colin's reaction told him in an irritated tone, "No, Colin! Get out of the way!" She and Hermione got a hold of Ron as they made him stand.

"Let's take him to Hagrid's, it's closer. He'll know what to do." Hermione decided and they guided Ron out of the scene. Ashley seeing Draco Malfoy laugh with disgust at her best friend, pushed him hard as she walked past him, holding Ron. 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> /If you weren't born with it, you can buy a couple ornaments./


	8. Pt.2. 8. Chamber of Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad Draco! *smack*

Ashley and Hermione had taken Ron to Hagrid. They knocked on his hut and he was eager to help them of course, so they were sitting in his sofa. He had left them to get something that would help.

Ron was even paler and more purple than before, Ashley was worried for her friend and Hermione was breathing in and blowing out the air in concern. 

Hagrid returned with a large bucket in his hands. He gave it to Ron with a look of pity. Ron held it, his arms around it as he let out another slug that fell in the pit of the bucket. "Nothing else to do, we have to wait until it stops, I'm afraid." Hagrid said. Ron threw up another slug. "Better out than in." Hagrid nodded sympathetically. "Who was he trying to curse anyway?" Hagrid asked.

Ashley responded. "Malfoy, he called Hermione something bad, I don't know what it means." Ashley said looking at Hermione. 

"He called her a Mudblood." Ron got out. It was the first time he spoke since his spell backfired.

Hagrid gasped. "He did not." Hagrid was furious.

"What it is a Mudblood?" Ashley questioned.

"I'm not exactly sure what it means." Hermione admitted.

Hagrid inhaled. "Mudblood means dirty blood, it is a very insulting word for someone with Muggle parents, non wizards," Hagrid started. "Some wizards, like the Malfoy family, think of themselves higher than everyone else because they have what we call 'pure blood'. Of course, that has no importance, pureblood wizards can be bad at magic. " Ashley noticed Hermione had teared up. "There isn't a spell Hermione can't do." Hagrid said with pride making Hermione smile. "Don't you think on it, not for one second." He was smiling fondly.

Hermione grinned.

 

 

* * *

 

 Ashley's way of serving detention was helping professor Lockhart respond to his fan mail. He was in a good mood as always and annoying. 

She was sitting on a chair, Lockhart in another as they were signing the stack of photographs and letters in the Defense Against The Dark Arts classroom. Ashley was tired, bored and mildly hungry, but she had to miss to dinner for detention. Lockhart spoke up in the silence, the quills being the only sound noticeable.

"Oh, Ashley, Ashley, Ashley," Gilderoy Lockhart began, "Can you possibly imagine a better way to serve detention," He was signing a photo of him on a broom with gold ink. "Than by helping me answer my fan mail?" He looked at her with a smile.

Ashley considered for a couple of seconds. "Actually, no." She was sure Ron was having a much harder time with his.

Professor Lockhart chuckled. "Fame is a frickle friend, Ashley. Celebrity is and celebrity does." He said with a knowing smile. "Remember that." He returned to his signing with a grin. Ashley didn't take what he told her too seriously. She raised her brows and went to continue her signing. 

_Come,_

Ashley looked around.

 _Come to me..._ And growls. Ashley looked up thinking the source was in that general direction. "What?" She wondered out loud.

"Sorry?" Professor Lockhart looked at Ashley with a curious look.

Ashley turned to the man. "That voice..." She let out.

"Voice?" Lockhart's eyes scanned quickly the room. Ashley was looking around again. "Didn't you hear it?"

"What are talking about, Ashley?" The professor was alert. His expression relaxed. "I think you're getting a bit drowsy." He laughed. He glanced at the clock, then stared a it. "And great Scott, no wonder. Look at the time! We've been here for nearly four hours. Spooky how fast time flies when you're having fun." He laughed once more, his eyes doing another quick scan.

"Yeah..." Ashley muttered. The voice was spooky. 

Professor Lockhart dismissed her a few minutes later, letting her go to her dormitory. Ashley thanked, took her things and walked out of the classroom. Missing dinner was an annoyance, but she convinced herself she would fill her stomach with a big breakfast tomorrow morning. She hadn't crossed much distance when she heard the voice again.

_Blood, I smell blood._

Ashley looked around, startled. The voice was hoarse and creeped Ashley out. 

_Let me rip you...._

She moved to the wall, feeling like the voice was coming from there. 

_Let me kill you..._

She pressed her ear to the wall and walked forward like that, catching up with the voice.  _Kill, kill, kill!_

Ashley suddenly saw Hermione and Ron at the turn of the hallway, the voice gone. "Ashley," Hermione exclaimed when she saw her.

"Did-Did you hear it?" Ashley stammered wishing her friends could hear what she was talking bout, unlike her professor.

"Hear what?" Ron asked.

She swallowed. "The voice..."

Hermione was wary. "Voice? What voice?" She asked. 

Ashley stammered. "I- It- I heard it first at detention with Lockhart and then-"

_It's time..._

She froze. There it was again sounding a little farther. "It's moving," She said strongly. "And- I think it's going to kill." She glanced at Ron and Hermione before breaking into a run down the hallway. 

"Kill?!" Ron was running behind her. "Ashley, wait!" Hermione was too.

The hallway opened to a larger one, Ashley looked both ways and on the floor. It seemed watery. Her shoes made slight noises as she walked on it. She walked further with her friends by her side, trying not to overlook anything. She looked low and stopped.

Spiders were one behind the other as they crawled on the wall and left through a hole in the window. How odd...

Ashley spoke about the strangeness of the sight. "I've never seen spiders act like that..."

Ron shuddered. "I don't like spiders." Ashley would have to agree.

Something red was reflected on the floor. Ashley turned around with a horrified Ron next to her. She looked up. 

On the wall of the hallway there was a message. It was written sloppily but you could easily make out what it said. "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir... beware." Hermione read it out loud. "It's written in blood." She added and made an expression of disgust and horror.

Ashley looked to the side. At a small distance from the message, a cat was hung from the black holder for the candlelight. "Oh no, it's Filtch's cat. Mrs Norris." Ashley said inspecting the cat in pity. 

Students were starting to gather around the scene, they were all staring at the message and the cat with horrified looks and whispers erupted. Ashley saw Madam Pomfrey gasping and adding a hand to her mouth in shock.

What did this all mean? What was going on? 

Draco Malfoy was also in the audience. He looked very different from the rest of the students. "Enemies of the heir beware?" His head snapped to Hermione. "You'll be next, Mudbloods." He spat.

Ashley wanted to slap him for that. She was glaring at him but before anything else could happen, Mr Filtch appeared at the scene. "What's going on here? Make way, make way." Ashley gulped. She didn't want to see his reaction. "Potter? What are you d- Mrs Norris?" He turned to Ashley slowly. "You've, you've murdered my cat." He was trembling.

Ashley shook her head. "No, sir."

He nodded. "I'll kill ya, girl. I'll kill ya!" He shouted and Ashley winced.

"Argus!" Dumbledore had arrived, with McGonagall, Snape, Sprout and Lockhart in tow. He scanned the scene, as did the rest of the professors. His voice took a very collected tone. "Everyone will proceed to their dormitories immediately," Ashley turned to follow the Headmaster's order but he added, "Everyone except you three." He pointed to the trio.

Once the crowds had almost disappeared, Dumbledore spoke. "She isn't dead, Argus. She has been Petrified." He explained to an upset Filtch.

Gilderoy Lockhart started talking. "Ah! Such a shame I wasn't there, I know exactly the countercurse that could have spared her." Everyone watched him with narrowed eyes and an urge to roll them except Hermione, of course.

"How she has been Petrified I cannot say." Dumbledore continued.

"Ask her! She did it!" Argus exclaimed. "You saw what she wrote on the wall."

Ashley shook her head and faced the headmaster. "It's not true, sir, I swear, I didn't do any of this."

"Rubbish." Argus snapped.

"If I might, Headmaster," Snape offered. "Perhaps Potter and her friends were simply at the wrong place at the wrong time." The trio glanced at each other, stunned that Snape wasn't accusing them. "However, the circumstances are suspicious. I, for one, do not recall seeing Potter at dinner." 

"I'm afraid that was my doing, Severus. You see, Ashley was helping me answer my fan mail." Lockhart explained.

"That's why Ron and I went looking for her." Hermione began. "We had just found her when she told us..." She looked at her friend, considering whether she should tell them about 'the voice'.

Ashley decided that she should better not say anything about that. They were already looking suspicious, a voice that only she heard and said that it was going to kill wouldn't help her case. "That I wasn't really hungry. We were heading back to our Common Room when we found Mrs Norris like this."

Snape raised his brow. He turned to Dumbledore. "Innocent, until proven guilty, Severus." The old man said to him. 

"My cat has been Petrified!" Argus yelled. "I want to see some punishment!" 

"We will be able to cure her, Argus. As I understand it, Mrs Sprout has a healthy growth of mandrake. When matured, a potion will be made which will revive Mrs Norris. And in the meantime, I strongly recommend caution," Ashley, Hermione and Ron nodded. "To all."

They nodded again and went to their dorms.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have so many ideas and I'm like hurry up and get rid of the first parts so you can write them down! Hehe.  
> Feedback is appreciated :3


	9. Pt.2. 9. Chamber of Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> mysteryyy

Ashley and her best friends were heading back to their Gryffindor dorm after the incident. They were all in a uneasy mood and the darkness around the castle wasn't helping at all.

"It's a bit strange, isn't it?" Hermione said before they walked into the Common Room. 

Ashley looked at her. "What's strange?" She asked, though, she believed she knew already what her best friend was referring to.

Hermione turned to her. "You hear this voice, a voice no one else can hear and Mrs. Norris gets Petrified. It's strange..." 

"Should I have told them? Dumbledore and the other professors?" Ashley asked, doubting her decision for a second.

"Are you mad?" Ron exclaimed.

Hermione shook her head at Ashley. "No, Ashley, even in the wizarding world, hearing voices is most likely a bad sign." She winced and turned around.

They walked in and parted to go to their towers.

* * *

 

The next day, in the morning, Ashley ate so much breakfast she got a questioning glare from Hermione but she ignored her. She had to fill her stomach twice as much as her friend had. "Are you starting to become like Ronald?" 

"I missed dinner last night, remember?" She said through a stuffed mouth. Hermione widened her eyes and nodded, not commenting on her diet more.

When she was with the Dursleys she might get less food and she could endure losing a meal without having to be fed much later but at Hogwarts her hunger became more persistent and closer to a well-raised person's. Plus, who would ever neglect a table full of food?

Classes started, the schedule for today wasn't too bad, Charms with Ravenclaws, double History of Magic -which was more than a little boring- , Potions - which at least it wasn't double and it was with Hufflepuffs, and last Transfiguration. She was sitting with Hermione, like she did in most classes. If she didn't, she was sitting with Ron. Ron was sitting with another boy from Gryffindor.

This and Defense Against The Dark Arts were the only subjects that they will be having with Slytherin this year.

The Transfiguration class had birds in cages and some other small animals on the desks. Ron had his pet rat in front of him. Pofessor McGonagall was in her seat waiting for everyone to settle down. The two boards were filled with chalk, text and a drawing of a bird and arrows. Ashley wondered what they would be learning today. She noticed Draco Malfoy was sitting behind Ron.

"Can I have your attention, please?" McGonagall said over the light talk around the class. Even that died down. "Right, now, today we will be transforming animals into water goblets." Ashley raised a brow in curiosity. Malfoy was unimpressed and expressed it with a face. "Like so." Minerva McGonagall took out her wand and poised it at a black and white bird that sat unfazed on her large desk.

"One, two, three, _Vera Verto._ " The bird's shape started changing and its colors were turning a glassy silver. In a few seconds the bird was completely altered and transformed into a silver goblet. The class was amazed and you could tell from the exclamation of wow's. Draco Malfoy stared with his eyes wide and then at the animal in front of him with determination.

"Now, it's your turn. Who would like to go first? Ah, Mr. Weasley. One, two, three, Vera Verto." The professor told him standing next to him. Ron nodded and spoke the spell but his rat didn't transform into a water goblet, well not exactly. It was more like a goblet with hairs and a tail. 

The class started laughing at his attempt. Ashley was grinning instead of laughing, she knew it wasn't Ron's fault but his wand's. "That wand needs replacing, Mr. Weasley." She simply said and turned to walk to her desk again but was interrupted from Hermione's hand shooting up. "Yes, Miss Granger?"

"Professor," Hermione started saying, "I was wondering if you could tell us about the Chamber of Secrets." Ashley widened her eyes at Hermione and awaited the professor's response. The rest of the class was doing the same. Seeing how eager they were to find out, McGonagall nodded once.

"Very well." She began slowly pacing, looking at the students of the class. "You all know of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age." She paused. "Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin." She continued pacing. 'Now, three of the the founders coexisted quite harmoniously. One did not."Ashley saw Ron whisper something to his friend. "Salazar Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. In other words, purebloods."

Ashley saw Draco Malfoy smirk. She stopped looking at the teacher and started glaring at him. She really hated this ridiculous prejudice she was getting around to knowing. "Unable to sway the others, he decided to leave the school." Malfoy noticed her glaring and glared right back before they both placed their attention back on the teacher.

"According to legend, Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in this castle, known as the Chamber of Secrets. Though shortly, before departing, he sealed it, until that time when his own true Heir returned to the school. The Heir alone, would be able to open the Chamber and unleash the horror within and by so doing, purge the school of all those who, in Slytherin's view were unworthy to study magic."

Ashley looked at Hermione next to her, she was still fully focused on the teacher. She hoped she didn't feel bad about her family, the blood purity craze was just horrible. "Naturally, the school has been searched many times and no such chamber has been found." The professor seemed to have ended with her speech but Hermione's hand shot up again. "Yes?"

"Professor, what does legend tell us lies within the chamber?"

Minerva McGonagall inhaled. "Well, the Chamber is said to be home to something that only the Heir of Slytherin can control. It is said to be the home... of a monster."

Ashley felt shivers in the idea that somewhere in the same castle that she was in, a monster waited to kill muggle-borns in the shadows. When she looked at Draco Malfoy again, he was smirking wider.

After a while the bell rang and they exited the classroom.

Ashley walked with her two friends hurriedly. "Do you think it's true? That there really is a Chamber of Secrets?" Ron asked in an upset voice.

Before Ashley replied with a 'yes', Hermione said to him, "Yes!" Moving her head and an expression that said 'obviously'. "Couldn't you tell? McGonagall's worried, all the teachers are."

"And if the Chamber of Secrets really has been opened, that means that the Heir of Slytherin has returned to Hogwarts." Ashley observed and looked at her friends.

Hermione nodded. "The question is, who is it?" Hermione made them ponder.

Ron huffed. "Let's think, do we know anyone who thinks all muggle-borns are scum?" He asked sarcastically. Right then, Draco Malfoy and his two buddies walked past them.

"If you're talking about Malfoy-"

"Of course I am. You heard him, Hermione, 'You'll be next Mudbloods.'" Ron repeated his words. 

"I heard him, but really? Malfoy, the Heir of Slytherin?" She said catching herself before a laugh.

"Why not?" Ashley said looking at her. "You see how he's acting like he knows more than we do. And hasn't his family been in Slytherin for what, centuries?" Ashley asked remembering his father.

"They have! Wait, Crabbe and Goyle must know. Maybe we could trick them into telling." He grinned.

Hermione chuckled sarcastically. "Even they aren't that thick. But there might be another way," They stopped walking and waited to hear Hermione's suggestion. "Mind you, it would be difficult. Not to mention we will be breaking about fifty school rules! And it would be dangerous, very dangerous."

Ashley and Ron glanced at each other in worry and they followed Hermione into the library. She picked up a book called 'Moste Pontente Potions' and joined them. "Here it is, the Polyjuice Potion. Properly brewed, the Polyjuice Potion allows the drinker to transform himself temporarily into the physical form of another."

"You mean, if we drink that stuff we'll turn into Crabbe and Goyle?" Ron asked.

Ashley narrowed her eyes. "Yes." Hermione said.

"Wait, I'll be a boy!" Ashley exclaimed.

"So?" Ron asked. "Malfoy will tell us anything." 

"But I'm a girl!!" 

"Ashley, I understand but it will be only temporary and just to learn what we need from Malfoy." Hermione told her with a look that said 'I'm sorry but it has to be done'.

Ashley sighed and groaned in frustration. "Fine."

"Great, the potion is tricky, though, I've never seen a more complicated one." Hermione said her gaze on the page of the book.

"How long will it take to make it?" Ashley questioned.

"A month." 

"A month?!" Ron exclaimed. "But if Malfoy is the Heir of Slytherin, half the muggle-borns in the school could be gone by then." Ron told her in worry.

Hermione let out a breath. "I know... But it's the only plan we've got." She said apologetically.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> /Chasing every thrill we could see./


	10. Pt.2. 10. Chamber of Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quidditch, this is all about Quidditch.

A couple of weeks passed and it was soon the first Quidditch match of the year. It was Gryffindor versus Slytherin and Ashley was both excited for it and dreading it. 

She was excited because it was Quidditch, because she would be flying around on her broom to find the Snitch and bring happiness and pride to her house. She was dreading it because it was against Slytherin and Draco Malfoy was the opposing Seeker. That fact made her want to win even more. She wanted to see Malfoy's defeated face, definitely not the other way around!

Ashley had practiced with her team and she hoped it was enough to win. 

When it comes to the mysteries of the Heir of Slytherin and the Chamber of Secrets, nothing had happened during those weeks. Hermione had just finished trying to find the ingredients for the Polyjuice Potion, they would start making it tomorrow. The message on the wall was washed the day after it was written and so far no other messages have been written. No other animals or people have been Petrified. It was all calm actually, their focus was on their subjects and nothing tried to change that.

Unfortunately, half hour into the game, Slytherin was already winning and Gryffindor was way behind. Ashley watched on her broom as the Quaffle went through the circle one more time. Gritting her teeth she heard from the microphone, "Another goal for Slytherin!" She saw the Slytherin Tower cheering and jumping up and down in glee. "They lead Gryffindor 90 to 30!"

Ashley saw the Slytherin players making an arrow and yelling "Yeah!" They flew a quick round of the Quidditch pitch before separating to continue to play.

Ashley needed to change this. She flew around and looked closely for the Snitch. The weather wasn't bad at all, just windy. She felt her long black hair flow around her. She brought her broom to a stop and looked around. Another broom flew above her and stopped at a fair distance from her. "All right there, Scar-head?" She turned to look at Draco Malfoy mocking her with a grin. 

She ignored his comment and looked ahead, a Bludger was going towards her. She ducked on her broom as it went over her and back on the sky. She saw Wood on his broom flying near her. "Be careful, Ashley!" He shouted. The Buldger was coming back though, this time heading to Wood. "Look out!" She managed to shout back at him. Just in time.

He flew away from it, getting back in the game. The Buldger was going Ashley's way again, she flew away from it but it seemed to chase her around. She was going as fast as she could, she even went to the House Towers so that maybe it would bump into one of them and turn around. It went through all of them, still chasing her. She decided to confuse it and she went straight to the Ravenclaw bottom wooden structure. At the last minute she changed direction and went up. The Buldger went deep in the structure and vanished. For now.

She saw Draco Malfoy in a small distace, he was grinning while making another remark. "Are you training for the ballet, Potter?!"

Right when she was about to respond with a comment about his own flying strategy, she saw the Snitch right next to his head. He was completely unaware, still chuckling. She had to supress her laughter. She started flying to him when the Buldger came back and Draco had to duck, the Snitch moved away and Ashley started chasing it, as fast as she could. She finally found it!

Malfoy realized what Ashley was doing too quickly though. He flew next to her and since his broom was faster, he went ahead of her. The Snitch lowered and went into the underground structures of the audiences. Malfoy and Ashley lowered and went in as well, running after the Snitch. Pretty soon, the Buldger was on their tail. Or Ashley's tail.

"You'll never catch me!" Malfoy shouted behind his shoulder to Ashley. And the only reason she didn't roll her eyes was how fast she was flying, the woooden obstacles of the structure making the route difficult, the fact that a Buldger was chasing her and she had to not lose the Snitch from her sight.

They kept going in circles, the Buldger had broken some wood and still followed her. At one point, Ashley ended up ahead of Malfoy, he probably loosened his pace in confidence. As they kept flying, Malfoy went further again, and they ended up flying next to each other. The Buldger didn't stop, Ashley threw ocassional glances at Malfoy, he did the same. She had never felt this adrenaline before, the previous game was nothing like this. The Buldger disappeared for a few seconds and she was on edge, trying to be ready when it stroke.

The Buldger appeared suddenly in front of them and flew in their direction. Ashley was quick enough to go up and miss it. Malfoy didn't change his location enough and though he avoided the Buldger, his broom hit a wood, he lost his balance and got thrown out onto the grass of the pitch, horribly.

Ashley looked at him for a second, he was laid down on the grass with an expression of immense pain and she would like to say it made her joyful but it didn't. 

She chased the Snitch in the pitch, her arm extended to catch it. The Buldger hit her exposed arm, a terrible pain shooting all over her right arm and she cradled it in agony. She tried letting her left hand from her broom, which was a risk, to catch the Snitch. _Come on, you nasty winged awful excuse of ball!_ She thought in frustration. In a movement of her hand she grabbed the Snitch. However, by doing so she lost her balance and fell forward, landing on her back on the pitch.

Claps were heard and Ashley let out a breath. She had finished the game. She caught the Snitch. "Ashley Potter has caught the Snitch! Gryffindor wins!"

She grinned all she could but the pain made it hard. She looked at the Snitch in her hand, whose wings lowered and closed in surrender.

She heard the Buldger. She looked up and saw it going for her head. She turned so it hit the ground. Then she turned the other way. Then, it hit in the space between her legs. Before it could hit again and achieve its goal this time, it was destroyed by a spell she heard from  a familiar voice.

" _Finite Incantantem_!" Hermione said.

She saw her, Ron and Hagrid walking to her. "Thank you." Ashley told her sincerely.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked kneeling next to her.

She shook her head. "I think my am is broken." She looked across the pitch for Draco but she didn't see him anywhere. 

"Not to worry, Ashley, I will fix your arm straight away." Gilderoy Lockhart said with a smile kneeling next to her.

"No." She said quickly. "Not you..." She didn't have any admiration for Lockhart, she didn't trust him with her arm. She was scared for her arm!

"Silly girl, doesn't know what she's saying." Lockhart brushed it off and took out his wand. "This won't hurt one bit." Ashley furrowed her brows looking at her poor arm.

" _Brackium Emendo!"_ Ashley couldn't feel anything. Lockhart moved her hand and it was out of bones! It was just flesh and made disgusting sounds. "Well, it happens sometimes. The good thing is you feel no pain. No bones are broken."

"Bones?!" Exclaimed Hagrid. "There are no bones left!"

Ashley's hand was all the way back to her arm, in an unnatural manner. "Good flexibility, though." Lockhart said quietly. Her hand abruptly shot up and fell forward again.

She was taken to the hospital wing, her friends and some other Gryffindor students from her year and Ron's brothers were there as well. Draco was already there, Crabbe, Goyle, another boy and a girl were by his side as he was laying on the bed and moaned in pain endlessly. Madam Pomfrey walked in quickly. "Oh, Mr. Malfoy stop making such a fuss. You can go. Out of my way, out of my way!" She said and the crowd that was gathered around Ashley's bed opened up to let her through.

"Should have been brought straight to me. I can mend bones in a heartbeat but growing them back?!" She exclaimed.

 "You will be able to, won't you?' Hermione asked in concern.

"I'll be able to certainly, But it'll be painful." She filled a glass with some liquid. "You're in for a rough night, Miss Potter. Regrowing bones is a nasty business."

As soon as the liquid entered her mouth, she spit it out. Words can't describe how awful its taste was. She was making a face and Madam Pomfrey scowled. "What did you expect? Pumpkin juice?" Ashley was still making the expression of disgust from the liquid. She wiped her mouth clean with her other hand.

It would be a rough night indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> /Please don't make any sudden moves, you don't know the half of the abuse./


	11. Pt.2. 11. Chamber of Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hi ass see eth?

"Again? You mean the Chamber of Secrets has been opened before?"  Hermione asked when Ashley finished.

Last night, when she was in the hospital wing, recovoring, Dobby had visisted her like he had at the Dursleys. She found out that it was him who had blocked the barrier so that her and Ron couldn't get to the train, he also was the one who sent the Buldger chasing after her. Ashley didn't understand why the house elf wanted to kick her out of Hogwarts so much, he kept saying it was to keep her safe, that terrible things would happen this year but when she asked for explanations he didn't tell her anything.

Well, only one thing. That history was going to repeat itself. But even that, he had said it by accident.

Ashley was curious. She asked Dobby about who did before and who was doing it now but he vanished into thin air. Then she heard footsteps and went straight under the bed covers, pretending to be asleep. By what she heard, they had brought a boy to the infirmary and he was Petrified. He also had a camera with him, because McGonagall wondered if he took a photo of the attacker. She heard a noise like something burnt and heard Dumbledore say that Hogwarts was no longer safe and that the Chamber has indeed been opened again.

She said all this to her best friends, while they were in the girls' bathroom on the fifth floor at noon. Hermione would start making the potion and said that was good place to meet everyday.

"Of course, don't you see?" Ron said sounding like he had unraveled the biggest mystery. "Lucious Malfoy must have opened it when he was at school here. Now he's taught Draco how to do it."

Ashley didn't really believe that, but she didn't stand up to what her friend said. She didn't even really believe that Draco Malfoy was the Heir of Slytherin anymore, but she definitely thought he knew more than he was letting on. If that was the case, they would still gain something important from this. 

"Maybe. We'll have to wait for the Polyjuice Potion to know for sure." Hermione told him opening a jar and emptying it in the small cauldron she had brought with her.

"Enlighten me, why are we brewing this potion in broad daylight in the middle of the girls' lavatory? Don't you think we'll get caught?" He asked, his expression worried.

Hermione laughed. "No." She shook her head. "No one ever comes in here."

"Why?" Ron asked in confusion.

"Moaning Myrtle." She simply replied.

Obviously it sounded like gibberish to Ron and Ashley. "Who?" Ron asked.

"Moaning Myrtle." Hermione repeated.

Ashley's eyes widened as she looked behind Ron. "Who's Moaning Myrtle?"

"I'M MOANING MYRTLE." The ghost screamed in his face.

It was girl in their age, Ashley assumed. She wore glasses, her hair was in pigtails and she wore a robe with the Ravenclaw crest -she used to be a Ravenclaw. "I wouldn't expect you to know me. Who ever talks about ugly, miserable, moping Moaning Myrtle?" She started sobbing and then screaming as she flew past them and took a dive into a toilet.

"She's a little sensitive." Hermione said with an apologetic smile.

* * *

 

 The next day, classes went by but after their last subject, they were all at the Great Hall.

The tables were empty and so where the staff seats. A long platform was placed in the middle of the room, wooden like everything else, its surface was covered with a blue color and all the phases of the moon in yellow. The students were in groups talking and waiting to see what would happen.

She heard her fellow Gryffindors talk about dueling lessons. She was very interested to see what that would be like. The majority were pretty excited. Ashley heard an unpleasant voice and all her hopes of actually learning something about dueling were suddenly sunk to the bottom of the ocean.

"Gather round!" Students started moving close to the platform. "Gather round. Can you all see me?" Professor Lockhart walked down the platform. "Can you all hear me?" He grinned. "Excellent." He was wearing a cape which flowed as he turned around at the end of the runway. "In light of the dark events of recent weeks, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start a little Dueling Club. To train you all up, in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions. For full details, see my published works."

He flashed a grin and untied his cape, throwing out in the crowd of students. Some girls older than Ashley caught it and were gasping and smiling like crazy. Ashley rolled her eyes. "May I introduce you, my assistant, Professor Snape." He pointed at the other end of the platform. Everyone turned to look as a Snape in his usual black attire appeared with an expression of dissatisfaction

"He has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry. You'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him. Never fear." He winked at a girl in the crowd. Ashley's jaw opened as she furrowed her brows.

Lockhart and Snape stood face-to-face as they took out their wands and held them against their face, then down in a peculiar arm movement and bowed to each other. Then, they turned around and walked a few steps away down the platform before facing each other again.

"One, two, three." Lockhart said happily.

" _Expelliarmus!_ " Said Snape and made the other professor fall back on the platform, he fell with his whole body down and his wand flew around his feet.

He was quick to recover and put a smile on his face walking towards Snape. "An excellent idea to show them that spell, Professor Snape but if you don't mind me saying, it was pretty obvious what you were about to do. Uh, if I had wanted to stop you, i would have been only too easy."

"Perhaps it would be prudent to first teach the students to block unfriendly spells, professor." Lockhart smiled crookedly and falsely at Snape's words. Snape only smiled back ironically.

"An excellent suggestion, Professor Snape. Uh," He turned to the students. "Let's have a volunteer pair. Um, Potter, Granger, what about you?" Ashley looked at her best friend who smiled at her but she had a feeling she would end up in bad shape, Hermione being a brainiac and knowing so many spells.

"Professor, I would suggest we pair the students with students from other Houses. Why not have Miss Potter duel someone from my House, for example?"

Lockhart smiled. "Very well." 

Snape turned around, "Mr. Malfoy." he said and pointed to someone in the crowd. He walked at the other end of the runway. _No, no, no._ Hermione seemed like such a better option right now. Ashley stepped on the platform. She wasn't feeling very good about this. She began feeling anxiety and nervousness. She didn't even know many spells. And half the school or more would be watching her.  _Crap._

Draco Malfoy didn't seem to share her emotions, in fact he seemed very pleased with the turn of events. He was grinning. This couldn't be good. Lockhart said to her as she passed him to the centre of the platform, "Good luck."

"Thank you, sir." She mumbled. Not that a 'good luck' would change anything. She stopped walking, she looked straight ahead at Malfoy's cold eyes. His expression had turned more to mischief and his grin almost to a sneer. 

"Wands at the ready." Lockhart shouted. Ashley held her wand against her face and watched Malfoy do the same. 

"Are you scared?" Malfoy whispered at her with a glint in his eyes.

She chuckled very lightly. "I'm sure you'd love that." He didn't seem to like her answer. She placed her wand in that peculiar hand movement and turned around and started walking away.

"Cast your spells to disarm your opponent. Only to disarm. We don't want any accidents here. One, two, three."

Malfoy was hardly fair when he cast his spell. Lockhart was just saying 'three' when he shouted, " _Everte Statum!"_

The spell sent Ashley flying backwards, falling down on her shoulder. She wasn't judging him for the fact that she was a girl, this was dueling and if someone wanted to, per say, kill her, wouldn't hesitate because she was a girl. But that didn't mean she enjoyed being hurt! " _Rictusempra!_ " Ashley shouted.

The spell sent Malfoy doing several flips before he landed on his ass firmly on the platform. He looked up at Snape with a hurt and fearful expression. The professor scowled and grabbed him by his collar making him stand up again. Ashley thought she heard Lockhart say something but wasn't paying attention. " _Serpensortia_!" Malfoy shouted.

A green and brown colored snake came out of his wand and sprawled on the platform. It slithered across the platform closer to Ashley as it hissed at the people around and she took a step back. Malfoy seemed very proud of his spell. "Don't move, Potter, I'll get rid of it for you." Snape started walking across the platform stopping when he heard Lockhart.

"Allow me, professor.  _Alarte Ascendare!"_ The snake jumped up in the air. When it landed again it looked very angry, hissing more as it looked at a student from Gryffindor. 

Ashley moved towards it, her expression and tone firm. " _Get away from him."_ She tried to tell the snake, hoping it would listen to her like that python a year ago.

The snake turned its head to Ashley as if it listened to her. " _Vipera Evanesca."_ She heard Snape say and the snake was destroyed, its pieces vanishing. "What are you playing at?" The boy asked her and she looked at him in confusion. She noticed that the crowd was looking at her in fear. She looked at Lockhart who looked at her with a contemplating look and then at Snape. His look was suspicious and contained some surprise.

What happened? Ashley didn't understand.

She walked down the platform and left the room and she heard her best friends following her. She ran to the Gryffindor Common Room. "Ashley! You're a Parselmouth, why didn't you tell us?" Ron asked behind her. 

Ashley stared, confused. "What?"

"You can talk to snakes." Hermione told her.

"Yeah, I mean, I talked to a python last year at the zoo, I was sad that it never met its family and I accidentally set it free. And it was once! Anyway, so what? I bet loads of witches and wizards can do it." She said.

"No, Ashley, they can't." She looked at her friend. "It's not a common gift. It's bad."

Ashley still didn't understand. "What's bad?! I told the snake not to attack that boy."

"Oh, that's what you said to it!" Ron exclaimed.

Ashley was confused. 'You were there! You heard me." She told Ron.

"I heard you speak Parseltongue! Snake language?" Ron explained.

"I-I spoke in another language?" Ashley wondered stunned. "But-but I didn't-" She stumbled. "How could I speak a language without knowing I can do it?"

"I don't know, Ashley. But listen, Slytherin's House symbol is a serpent for a reason. Salazar Slytherin was a Parselmouth." Hermione informed her.

"Now everyone is going to think that you're, I don't know, his great-great-great-granddaughter or something." Ron said.

"But, but, that can't be true!"

Hermione looked at her with uncertainty. "He lived a thousand years ago, who knows, Ashley. You could be."

 Ashley didn't want to believe it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> /Crashing, hit a wall, right now I need a miracle./


	12. Pt.2. 12. Chamber of Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plan is acted out.

Ever since Colin Creevy was Petrified, one other student was found Petrified as well. It was that boy from the Dueling Club, who was going to be attacked by the snake hadn't Ashley interrupted. In fact, Ashley was the one who found him, a shocked expression frozen on his face. She noticed the spiders again, one crawling behind the other as they left through the balcony. Mr. Filtch had found her there and he alerted McGonagall. She came rushing to the scene and sent Ashley to Dumbledore.

The Hogwarts Headmaster didn't accuse Ashley, he didn't believe she was the one that did it. Before she was free to go, he questioned her if there was something she wanted to say to him. Ashley thought of the voice she heard before finding the boy, the same that she heard every time someone ended up Petrified. 

She had decided against it again. She was lucky enough to have Dumbledore thinking that she was innocent or else she didn't know what would happen to her. She didn't want to make Dumbledore have doubts. She said no.

Soon it was Christmastime. 

Hogwarts was covered in snow, everything outside was white. In the Great Hall, the sky was enchanted to look like it was snowing on them. Christmas trees with gold ribbons and ornaments decorated the large room. Hermione came up to Ashley and Ron as they were sitting at the Great Hall eating dinner. It was quite delicious during the holidays. "All set. We just need a bit of the people you're changing into. We also need to make sure that the real Crabbe and Goyle won't burst in on you while you're interrogating Malfoy."

"How?" Ron asked.

Don't worry, I have it all worked out." Hermione pulled out a pair of cupcakes with chocolate sprinkles on top. "I filled these with a Sleeping Draught. Simple potion but powerful. Now, once they're asleep, hide them in the broomstick cupboard and pull out a few of their hairs. And take their uniforms." Ashley winced at the idea of having to strip Goyle. She would ask Ron to do it.

"I'm going to check on the Polyjuice Potion. Make sure that Crabbe and Goyle find these." She pointed at the cupcakes.

Ashley and Ron nodded. She looked at the Slytherin table after Hermione left. "Okay, so I see they're trying to gather sweets from their table." She turned to Ron. "Let's go now." She stood up and took the two cupcakes.

Ron followed her as they walked out of the Great Hall. "I say we leave them here and lift them in the air so that they'll see them and eat them." She told Ron and he agreed. They went to hide behind a statue covered with decorations. Her best friend took out his wand. He cleared his throat.

"Um, Ron?" 

"Yeah?" He looked at her.

"Maybe it would be better if I did it? I mean, you know..." They couldn't risk the two sweets exploding or whatever because Ron's wand was broken. He seemed to get her point. 

"You're right..." He said and placed his wand back in his robe. 

Ashley took out hers and inhaled.  _"Wingardium Leviosa."_ She spelled at the two cupcakes. They hovered over the floor and she moved her wand higher.

She heard footsteps. "It's them." Ron whispered behind her. They hid further behind the statue waiting for Crabbe and Goyle to fall into their trap. They walked holding a bunch of cookies and sweets in their arms laughing with each other. They stopped in front of the cupcakes. They snickered. They grabbed one each and grinned at each other. They bit into them and kept grinning.

Ashley and Ron smirked. Fast enough, the two idiots were falling down on the floor, in deep sleep. Ashley and Ron ran to them and did what Hermione had told them. As soon as they were in the broomstick cupboard, Ashley turned to Ron. "Okay, well, because I'm a girl, would you mind taking his uniform yourself?" 

Ron was more than okay with that actually. He and Ashley ran to the girls' lavatory on the fifth floor where Hermione was waiting with the Polyjuice Potion. The Potion was a gray color, it looked absolutely terrible. She emptied it to two glasses. "You have exactly one hour before you change back into yourselves." She gave the glasses to them. "Add the hairs."

She added them and drank the potion. She wrinkled her nose at the scent but tried to ignore to it as much as she could.

* * *

Ashley and Ron were walking towards the Slytherin Common Room but the truth is, they didn't really know where it was. Ashley felt horrible as a boy. She couldn't wait to be back to her normal self. Her and Ron were quite nervous about the situation, their time was limited, they had been working on this for months and everything had to go as planned. 

As they were walking in the direction Ron said he thought the Common Room was at, Ron's brother Percy saw them and started walking to them. "Excuse me!" They both gasped. 

"What are you doing here?" Ron-Crabbe asked in a mean way trying to act like Crabbe.

"I happen to be a school prefect." Percy said firmly. "You, on the other hand, have no business wandering the corridors at this time of night." Ashley-Goyle nodded. "What are your names again?"

Ashley and Ron paused. What were their names? Should they say the last names? "I'm-"

"Crabbe! Goyle!" Ashley-Goyle and Ron-Crabbe turned around to see an annoyed Draco Malfoy walking to them. "Where have you two been? Pigging out in the Great Hall, all this time?" He looked at them with disapproval. The two had to nod. Draco Malfoy looked at Percy. "And what are you doing here, Weasley?" He sneered menacingly.

"Mind your attitude, Malfoy." Percy warned. Malfoy simply raised his brows up and down and then walked away.

Ashley and Ron followed after him, they went in the Slytherin Common Room. It was in the dungeons, it had stone walls and ceiling while green lamps were hanging. There was a fire cackling giving a glow to the room as a portrait of a serpent was over the fireplace. The windows showed no sky, instead they were a misty green color. It was in the Black Lake. Ashley, honestly, liked the common room. It was dark and ethereal but very interesting.

Draco Malfoy fell comfortably on the carved sofa and looked at them in slight confusion. "Well, sit down." 

Ashley and Ron sat mechanically on the sofa across from him. Malfoy laughed. "You'd never imagine Weasleys were pure-bloods, the way they behave. They're an embarassment to the wizarding world. All of them." He said with a smirk. Ashley-Goyle looked at Ron-Crabbe. He was getting angry. "What's wrong with you, Crabbe?" Malfoy asked with narrowed eyes.

Ashley elbowed him. He cleared his throat. "Stomachache." 

Malfoy looked at him disapprovingly. Ashley hoped Ron wouldn't flip out, or her, she basically wished all this could go well and they leave without Malfoy figuring out who they were. If he did, they were screwed. "You know, I'm surprised that the _Daily Prophet_ hasn't done a report on all these attacks. I suppose Dumbledore is trying to hush it all up. My father always said Dumbledore was the worst thing that ever happened to this place." He sneered.

"He's not!" 

Draco looked at her-him with wide eyes and an expression of surprise and fury. Ashley-Goyle looked away from his intense glare, cursing in her head. She tried focusing on the floor. " _What?"_ Said Draco Malfoy said standing up, a murderous look on his face. "You think there's someone here who's worse than Dumbledore?" She saw Ron in the corner of her eye shaking his head non-stop, fear on his face. "Well?! Do you?!" He yelled.

She swallowed. An idea popped in her head. She looked up at him. "Ashley Potter?" She suggested with a light voice.

The fury vanished from Malfoy's face, it was replaced with satisfaction. "You're so right, Goyle. Saint Potter." He smirked. She watched him carefully. "She's unbearable." He laughed. She looked at the floor in irritation mixed with discomfort and a hint of sadness. "And to think there's people who believe that she is the Heir of Slytherin..." He snickered.

 Ashley and Ron glanced at each other recognizing their chance. "You must surely have a clue about who is behind all this." Goyle said.

He scowled. He walked to a table. "You know that I don't, Goyle. How many times do I have to tell you?" He grabbed a small gift wrapped in a white ribbon. "Is this yours?" He asked. She shook her head. He placed the gift in his pocket checking that no one was around. "But my father did say this," Ashley and Ron paid close attention.

"It's been fifty years since the Chamber was opened. He wouldn't tell me who opened it, only that they were expelled. Then last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a Mudblood died." She swallowed the horrible word. "So it's only a matter of time before one of them is killed this time." He smiled. 'As for me, I hope it's Granger."

Ron shot up from the sofa and went for Malfoy. Ashley stopped him, wide-eyed. They were going to get figured out if they kept behaving like this. "What's the matter with you two?! You're acting very odd!"

"It's his stomachache." Ashley muttered. She turned to glare at Ron. Ron's eyes slowly widened.

"S-scar." He whispered.

Ashley-Goyle's hand went at her-his temple to forehead area. 

 "Hair.." She pointed as Crabbe's hair turned ginger. They looked back at Malfoy trying to hide their characteristics and saw him inspecting the gift. They quickly ran to the entrance and left the Slytherin Dungeon.

"Hey, where are you going?!" They heard Malfoy shout at them but they ignored him as they ran as fast as they could to the Gryffindor Tower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> /Selfish, taking what I want and calling mine./
> 
> Yes, Ashley's scar is more to her temple instead of her forehead. Imagine above the end of her brow.  
> I want Christmassss :(


	13. Pt.2. 13. Chamber of Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> last one for CoS, enjoy:3

Ashley couldn't say she loved Valentine's Day like most girls but she didn't hate it like most boys. 

Though when she learned professor Lockhart had received around thirty cards and thanked the students, she was rolling her eyes. Hermione probably had been in those thirty somewhere. She had discussed about him with her best friend many times but Ashley still couldn't understand what was so attractive about him. 

For some reason the DATDA teacher thought it would be a good idea to have winged dwarves sing love poems to every student. Ron hadn't talked about his to anyone and Hermione said hers was incredibly sweet. Ashley thought they were utterly ridiculous and she was thankful to not have received hers yet. But her joy was soon to be cut short.

She was walking across a hall after the bell had rung, heading to the courtyard when her winged dwarf found her. "I have to give Ashley Potter a serenade!" It exclaimed happily.

Ashley looked at him and pleaded, "No, please, go away." There were students around her and she would hate to be humiliated in front of them. She started spriting away from the dwarf but it got a hold of her and made her fall down to the floor, her school-bag that wasn't fully closed, emptying its content next to her. "Let me go!" She shouted at him. She also was in the middle of hallway and now students were gathering around her. 

"What's going on, here?!" She heard Draco Malfoy yell. She was going to be humiliated in front of him!

The dwarf sat on her legs as she was face to face with the floor and said, pleased, "Good. Now here's your song,"

_Eyes so green, like a new-born toad!_

_Hair black as a raven's._

_Oh, you beautiful creature, I wish you were mine._

_Our heroine, you defeated the Dark Lord._

Ashley was most likely blushing in shame while she tried to stand up, the dwarf gone. Around her everyone was laughing, she tried to ignore them as she picked up her books and placed them back in her bag. She couldn't help but notice Draco had picked up Riddle's black leather diary she had found the other day, smirking. Well, he was an idiot. He wasn't going to find anything interesting in there except for blank pages.

"Malfoy, give that back to me." She told him with no annoyance apparent in her voice.

He laughed. "I wonder what you write in it. Let's see.." He turned around and opened it at a random page.

"Look at it all you want, it's blank." She snapped this time her irritation seeping to her words as she glared at his back.

He turned around and looked at her frustrated. He threw the diary her way with lips pursed in anger. She went to retrieve it. She placed it back in her bag and left.

She ignored Fred and George's teasing about her 'green like a new-born toad' eyes.

 

* * *

 

 

When she was in her room in the Gryffindor Tower, she opened her bag again, to examine the diary for another time, wondering how this object could have taken her back in time.

When she opened it something fell from inside it.

She looked at it in curiosity. It was a crumpled piece of paper, talking about some snake called the Basilisk. She furrowed her brows in confusion, how did this end up in the diary? She put the paper back in her bag, deciding to look at it later. 

* * *

 

 

She was devastated. Hermione was Petrified. They still didn't know who the Heir of Slytherin was. Dumbledore was away from Hogwarts because of some stupid deal made by people like Lucious Malfoy and Hagrid was arrested because of his record with the case. Things were getting worse and her and Ron were getting very scared. Hogwarts would close if the person responsible wasn't caught soon.

Ashley wasn't in the mood for homework but took out her books from her bag. She didn't have Riddle's diary anymore. She noticed the crumpled paper at the bottom of her bag. She took it out again giving it a fast read.

She widened her eyes in shock. She ran as fast she could to find Ron.

"Of the many fearsome beasts that roam our lands, none is more deadly than the Basilisk. Capable of living for hundreds of years, instant death awaits any who meet the giant serpent's eye. Spiders flee before it. Ron, don't you see? This is the monster in the Chamber of Secrets!" He was at loss of words. "And that's why I can hear it speak, that's the voice I've been telling you all this time, I'm the only who can hear it because it's a snake!"

Ron was still unconvinced. "But, if it kills people by looking at them in the eye, how come no one is dead?"

Ashley considered his question. Why was no one dead? How did every muggle-born in the hospital become Petrified? Hermione was at the library... "It's because no one actually looked at it in the eye." She said with eyes wide open, realizing. She looked at Ron. "Hermione saw it reflected in the mirror. Colin through his camera. And that boy from Gryffindor must have seen it through Nearly Headless Nick, he's a ghost so he can't die again."

Ron nodded then stopped. "What about Mrs. Norris? I don't think she had a camera or a mirror." Ron said sarcastically.

Ashley thought of a solution, an answer, an explanation. "No, but there was water on the floor that night. She must have seen its reflection on the tiles." Ron had no question about it this time. "Spiders flee before it." She repeated from earlier. "It all makes perfect sense!"

"How could the Basilisk be getting around, though? A big snake, someone would have noticed it, right?" Ron asked, his brows connecting.

She looked back at the paper. The word 'pipes' was written in ink. "Pipes."

"Pipes? It's using the plummng?!"

Something else also popped into Ashley's head. "Remember what Aragog told us? About that girl dying in a bathroom?" Their visit to that disgusting creature was the worst and Ashley was sure her and Ron's nightmares wouldn't be gone any time soon. Ron nodded. "Maybe she never left."

Ron's eyes widened as much as they could. "Moaning Myrtle." Ashley nodded. "Blimey, Ashley, how'd you get that paper anyway?"

Ashley paused. She blinked twice. "I don't know, it was just in my bag."

Did she really not know? No, she did, well, she suspected. Was it way too impossible to believe?

Yes, it was.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM SO EXCITED  
> Btw  
> The love song was from a boy that hang out with Ginny. Figured it would make sense since she wrote it in the book. She is also the person who wrote it here but it was to help her friend.


	14. Pt.3. 14. Prisoner of Azkaban

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Third year..

Ashley didn't feel like she had changed much from last year.

Well, little things. Her long black hair was longer, a little wavy and messy like always. She was taller, some chest was starting to form but not much.

Ashley was in her jeans, t-shirt and cardigan, her trunk beside her, wand in her hand as she sat on the pavement. The weather was a little windy and chilly for late summer. 

 She was very anxious and stressed. She didn't know what would happen to her. 

She had turned her aunt Madge into a balloon, well something like that, and she was now lost in the sky.

Ashley would never use magic just like that and risk getting expelled from Hogwarts. Hogwarts was home, it was where she belonged. 

But she couldn't control herself. Uncle's sister was worse than him. The moment she stepped into the house, she was dripping venom. She looked at Ashley with disgust and dislike. Ashley could endure the looks but the words, she couldn't.

First Madge had talked about her father, trying to justify the fact that Ashley was insolent and a horrible girl. She asked what the job he had taken was and at the response of 'he was unemployed' she called him a drunk. Ashley snapped and called her a liar.

Madge broke her glass. She chuckled at Petunia and Vernon's reactions, blaming her grip. She ordered Ashley to come and clean the mess. She did so, gritting her teeth. Madge then thought it was the time to talk about her mother. 

"I see it all the time with dogs. If there's something wrong with the bitch there is something wrong with the pup." 

Ashley had turned around abruptly, and had opened her mouth in fury. "Shut up! Shut the fuck up!" She had cursed.

Then everything went to hell and Madge started becoming even fatter than she already was, taking the shape of a ball and started flying. Ashley had gone straight upstairs, gathering all her things, acknowledging the possibility of never going to Hogwarts again and having to live with the Dursleys for the rest of her life. She wasn't having it.

She left with their light interruption. They demanded she brought Madge back to which she declined. She used magic once, hopefully she could go back to Hogwarts despite that, she wasn't going to use magic again and ruin every chance. Maybe once was forgivable but twice? She didn't think there would be much hope after that.

And if she was indeed expelled, there were countless places better than the Dursley house. She waited in the cold pavement for her letter, someone from the Ministry or whatever.

She thought she saw a black wolf in the bushes, but a mysterious bus stopped in front of her, breaking her gaze.

The bus was insane. The driver was an old man who followed the instructions of a talking black head. The journey was quite sickening, the bus going way too quickly.

Apparently there was a murderer on the loose. His name was Sirius Black and he was the first person to have escaped Azkaban. The prison for witches and wizards. 

Ashley couldn't help but feel alarmed. 

Arriving at the Leaky Cauldron she found herself conversing with the Minister of Magic. To her great surprise, she wasn't in danger of being expelled. She felt relief spread through her, realizing she would be spending another year at the beautiful castle.

Her best friends Hermione and Ron were there the next day, Ron holding his rat Scabbers and Hermione a cat. That was new. 

Ashley grinned seeing her friends again and joined them in the breakfast table of the pub. The Weasleys had gone to Egypt and Ashley was fascinated. She was asking Ron many questions until Mr. Weasley came up to her.

"Ashley, can I talk to you for a minute?" 

She agreed of course and a rather worrying conversation started. 

"Looking forward to your new term?" He asked her.

"Yeah, definitely." She replied.

He nodded. "Ashley, there are some in the Ministry who do not approve of me telling you this, but I think you need to know the truth."

Ashley furrowed her brows in concern. 

"You are in grave danger."

"Does this have to do with the escape of Sirius Black?" She wondered. 

Mr. Weasley paused. "What do you know about him, Ashley?"

"Not much. Only that he used to work for You-Know-Who." She was aware of the fact that people didn't like it when she spoke his name.

"Do you know why he escaped Azkaban?" Ashley shook her head. She had figured the normal reason, it was prison and no one liked being held captive. "Thirteen years ago, when you defeated You-Know-Who, Black lost everything. To this day, he remains loyal to him. In Black's mind you are the only thing that is getting in the way of You-Know-Who rising once more. So that is why he escaped from Azkaban."

Ashley couldn't believe her ears.

"To find you..."  _And kill you._ Is what Mr. Weasley never said. Ashley stared at the floor, frozen. He sighed. "Ashley, promise me something." 

She looked up at Mr. Weasley. "No matter what happens, no matter what you hear, you won't start searching for Black."

She nodded once. "There isn't a reason for me to do so, sir." She said swallowing. 

Great, another year with fear lurking in the corner.

 

* * *

On the train to Hogwarts, the trio couldn't find an empty compartment and decided to settle for the one with a man covered in a black blanket leaning on the window with closed eyes.

Once they all sat down and Ron's question about who the man was got answered by Hermione, Ashley closed the door of the compartment. 

 Making sure that man called professor Lupin was asleep, she started telling her best friends about the situation.

"So all in all, Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban to come after you." Ron stated. 

 Ashley nodded and Hermione spoke up. "But they'll catch him, right? Everyone is looking for him."

"Well... He is a murdererous psychopath and he managed to sneak away Azkaban, something no one else has ever done..." Ron trailed off with an apologetic look.

"Thanks." Ashley said sarcastically.

The lights of the train started flickering. The train stopped. Ashley opened the door of the compartment and looked both ways. Other students were doing the same. A sudden force made them all fall back. Ashley fell on the seat. 

"What's going on?" 

"Maybe we've broken down." Ashley tried. Ron was staring at the window as it was freezing. Ashley breathed and a puff came out. 

The next minutes were horrifying. A dark figure crept into the compartment, it was like a skeleton with a cloak. Suddenly Ashley began feeling like she was pulled from herself. The creature was absorbing her. She was scared to the bone, she thought she was dying. Helpless, unable to stop the dark creature, her mind was trapped in panic.

When the creature stopped doing whatever it was it was doing to her, it hit her like a slap across the face. A bright light blinded her and sent the monster backwards.

She was incredibly weak. A scream pierced her ears. She couldn't gather any strength stay upright and her head fell on the seat as everything turned black.

 

* * *

"Ashley?"

Ashley's eyes fluttered. She regained her senses and lifted her head from the seat. Around her, her best friends and the professsor were staring at her. "What happened?" She asked with a soft voice.

Hermione swallowed. "You passed out, we were really worried."

"Eat this, Ashley. Chocolate will make you feel better." Professor Lupin gave her a bar of chocolate and she took it with no objection.

She looked at them. "What was... That?" She asked, her voice soft and gentle still.

"That was a Dementor. They are guards at Azkaban prison. They went in the train looking for Sirius Black. If you'll excuse me, I need to have a word with the driver." Ashley bit a bit of the sweet while he exited their compartment.

"Did," She cleared her throat. "Did anything happen to either of you?"

They both shook their heads. "But it was strange." Hermione told her.

"Yeah." Ron agreed. 

"So who screamed?" Ashley asked remembering the scream before she became unconscious. 

They furrowed their brows. "No one screamed, Ashley." Ron told her.

She swallowed not going further into the topic. She looked at the window. It was back to normal, rain streaked and the sky deep blue. Ashley's reflection looked back at her as the train led.

Draco Malfoy returned to his compartment.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> /Till our white eyes burn bright, we'll be lacing the same shoes that we've worn through./
> 
> I don't know why but this chapter felt so much more mature.


	15. Pt.3. 15. Prisoner of Azkaban

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drashley? Man that sounds good!

It was still raining when they arrived at Hogwarts. 

Walking back into the Great Hall she felt peaceful. She sat next to Ron at the Gryffindor table, Hermione across from her. The rest of her friends around her made feel at ease.

The choir was perfoming a number with professor Filius Flitwick guiding them. Ashley couldn't distinguish what they were saying but it was still a good performance. Once the song ended, a toad in the front row squeaked. She didn't know if it was intentional or not but it was a cute touch.

The long room was filled with the students' claps. Ashley clapped with a grin. 

The choir lost its order as the students went to their tables. Behind them, the Headmaster, Dumbledore, appeared and waited for the clapping to sink in before speaking loudly. "Welcome, welcome to another year at Hogwarts. Now, there a few words I would like to say, before we all become too befuddled by our excellent feast. First, I would like to welcome professor R. J. Lupin, who is going to take up the post of Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher, good luck professor." 

Ashley was glad for that. After last year's failure in the subject due to the lack of an experienced professor, and a possessed one the year before that, she was looking forward to having a proper teacher. Judging from the incident on the train he seemed good for the job.

"Potter." 

She heard someone whisper and looked around her. 

"Potter!"

The whisper insisted and she looked behind her seeing no one in her table was the one calling her.

Draco Malfoy was grinning mockingly. "Did you really faint on the train?" 

Draco Malfoy. How could she have forgotten about the blond devil? He would be there each year ready to annoy her. She stared at him. Something was very different about him. He was probably taller... No. His hair? No, it was the same pale blond color but he had something like bangs covering some of his forehead. It looked ... Nice.

She was... What was she doing?!

At her lack of response he continued, his grin wider, "You actually fainted!" He put emphasis on the 'actually'. 

It was then Ashley realized he was mocking her. She felt frustration flood her, she flared her nostrils and gritted her teeth as Ron pulled her back in front saying, "Shut up, Malfoy." 

Yes, yes exactly. Why couldn't she have said that? She wondered staring at her plate. Then she wondered about something else. "How does he know?" She muttered.

"Don't know, just ignore him." Hermione said to her. Ron nodded. They looked ahead at Dumbledore.

Ashley swallowed and fought the urge to turn around. "I am delighted to announce that his post will be taken by our own Rubeus Hagrid!" Said Dumbledore.

Ashley clapped happily. Hagrid was going to be teaching them and she couldn't wait. Hermione and Ron clapped smiling like she did. 

"On another note, at the request of the Ministry of Magic, Hogwarts will until further notice play host to the Dementors of Azkaban." Whispers started spreading. Ashley glanced at her friends. "Until there is such a time that Sirius Black is captured. The Dementors will be placed at every entrance of the grounds. Now whilst I've been assured that their presence will not disturb our daily activities, a word of caution;

Dementors are vicious creatures. They wil not distinguish between the one they hunt and the one who gets in their way. Therefore, I must warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. It is not in the nature of a Dementor to be forgiving."

Draco Malfoy should try giving one a reason. Let's see _his_ reaction if one harmed him. "But you know, happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light."

They were the wisest words Ashley had heard from the Headmaster. 

The students walked to their common rooms after eating, Ashley was looking forward to resting after such a day. She walked with the rest of the Gryffindors to their tower. The Fat Lady was denying them entrance. Only after she had screamed and broken her glass intentionally she let them in.

Ashley and Hermione walked up the girls- dormitory. They had some light talk and she saw Hermione going to bed. She was the best student, she must not be sleepy during classes and lose her focus. 

She looked at the window. Ashley thought of the fact that there were Dementors around Hogwarts at the moment and shivered. This year wouldn't be easier than the last. 

"Is there anyone you like?" A girl asked her.

"Um, no, not really." And if there was, she doubted she would tell someone she wasn't close to.

"Oh, well I don't like anyone either." 

"Liar," Another said. "You like Dean."

The girl looked like she was going to kill her friend. "Dean Thomas?" Ashley asked for confirmation.

"Yeah- but if you do then forget about it I-" 

"No, no." Ashley cut her off. "I don't like him. He's all yours." She laughed.

She saw the relief in the girl's posture. "If Ashley liked someone I would be the first to know about it." Hermione's voice told them from her bed. "I can't sleep with you talking and I would advise you to go to bed tomorrow is the first day of classes, you know." She told them raising her head a little and letting it fall back when she was finished.

Ashley went to sleep shortly after that. Well, all of them really.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> /Nice to meet you, where you've been?/


	16. Pt.3. 16. Prisoner of Azkaban

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> development!.... I think?

The next day classes started. 

Ashley picked Divination as one of her subjects of choice. It was in her schedule and that was where she was heading at the moment. The Divination class was at the top of a spiral staircase. The room itself wasn't very large, Ashley thought as she walked in, red curtains were around the room, there were circular tables instead of desks, decorated with red tablecloths.

Teacups and pots were on top of the tables and the professor stood in a velvet red armchair. There were a lot of Gryffindors in Divination, she recognized some faces. Ron was also there, he was going to sit down at a table and she followed him. 

They talked just slightly as the room filled up. Ashley looked at the professor. The woman was called Trelawny, her hair was light brown and very frizzy, she wore big glasses, like goggles and a funny looking dress. "Welcome, my children. In this room you will explore the art of Divination. In this room, you shall discover if you possess the Sight. Hello, I am professor Trelawny, together we shall cast ourselves into the future!" She spoke very theatrically and loud. "This term, we'll focus on Tasseomancy, the art of reading tea leaves. So please take the cup of the person sitting opposite you."

Ashley took Ron's cup while he took hers. "What do you see? The truth lies buried like a sentence deep within a book, waiting to be read. But first you must broaden your mind." She patted Seamus's head. Ashley snickered. "First you must look BEYOND!" Everyone looked wide-eyed because of her loud tone. Okay, Ashley thought this teacher was a little unstable. 

"What a load of rubbish."

Ashley and Ron looked at Hermione who had just popped up next to them. "Where did you come from?" Asked Ron, scared.

"Me? I've been here all this time." She said. Ashley was sure that she wasn't. She looked at Ron who looked back at her with the same question. 

"Broaden your minds," The professor said and walked towards their table. She looked at Ron and jumped. "Oh!" She exclaimed loudly scaring Ron and Hermione. "Your aura is pulsing, dear. Are you in the beyond?! I think you are! Look at the cup tell me what you see."

Ron stuttered. "I, um, well, Ashley's got a cross which means trials and suffering. But that there looks like the sun which means happiness. So... you're gonna suffer but you're gonna be happy about it." Ron told her and Ashley fought the urge to laugh.

"Give me the cup." Trelawny told Ashley and she gave the professor the teacup. She looked at it for a mere second and let it slip her fingers like it burnt. She backed away with a scream. "My darling girl, you have.. the Grim."

"The Grin? What's the Grin?" She heard Seamus wonder loudly.

"Not the Grin you idiot, the Grim. It takes the from of a giant spectral dog, it's one of the darkest omens in our world. It's an omen, of death." Ashley looked at the cup. Formed with black dots was the shape of a dog. Ashley remembered seeing an animal in the bushes two days ago. It was black and she had thought it was a wolf. Now, thinking on it, it looked like a dog. Could that have been the Grim? An omen of death. Great.

 

* * *

Next, they had another class of choice. Ashley had chosen Care of Magical Creatures in a heartbeat. 

The class was done outside of the castle. Hagrid was the professor and they were heading to his hut. "You don't think that Grim thing's got anything to do with Sirius Black, do you?" Ron asked while they were walking.

"Oh, honestly, Ron. If you ask me, Divination's a woolly discipline. Now, Ancient Runes, that's a fascinating subject." Ashley made a face at Hermione's words. She was glad she hadn't taken that subject.

"Ancient Runes? Exactly how many classes are you taking this term?" Ron asked.

"A fair few." Was her response. Ashley couldn't understand why Hermione wanted homework so much. She walked on as Ron realized something and stopped. 

"Hang on, that's not possible. Ancient Runes is in the same time as Divination. You have to be in two classes at once." Ashley thought that Hermione would do that, somehow if it was what it took to be at both classes. She denied what he said, also calling Ron silly for thinking that she had to be at two places at once.

"Broaden your minds.. Use your Inner Eye to see the future!" Hermione mocked and laughed. Ashley didn't find Divination that stupid but didn't say anything. She didn't laugh either. She saw there were quite a few students picking this subject from the crowds forming outside Hagrid's hut. 

"That's it, come closer. Less talking, if you don't mind. I got a real treat for you today." Hagrid said with cheerfulness. "A great lesson. Follow me." They walked into the forest, the book for the class in hand. It was a big one, with a mouth and a belt was securing it. It was also somehow alive. "Right you lot," Hagrid said once they reached a clearing. "Less chattering. Form a group over there. And open your books to page 49." He said to the students.

Ashley was walking to the place where Hagrid pointed when, "And exactly how do we do that?" Asked an annoyed Draco Malfoy.

"Just stroke the spine, of course." Hagrid answered. 

Ashley sighed and looked at him. "Right, obviously!" He said sarcastically. Well, they had to be going to be at the same class, at some point. It was inevitable. She watched as he walked to a series of stones and leaned there. He was actually indeed quite taller, he wasn't fat like his buddies Crabbe and Goyle and he had nice hair. There, she admitted it. She found Draco Malfoy's hair nice. Oh no, was she doing that again? Was she staring? No, worse, she was.. checking him out?!

"Oh, yeah, terribly funny, really witty." He said looking at Hermione. Ashley shook her head and blinked. What? "God this place has gone to the dogs. Wait until my father hears that Dumbledore's got this oaf teaching classes." His buddies laughed.

Nice hair, no nice hair, he was still a brat. Ashley scowled. "Shut up, will you?" She hoped that his father didn't have the power to dismiss Hagrid. He shouldn't. Dumbledore should be the only one deciding for the school. She didn't get the reaction she was looking for with her comment. Draco and his friends made "ohs" like Ashley had said something very shocking. As if saying, 'oh, burn!'

Draco let his schoolbag on Crabbe and smiled. He started walking to Ashley. She swallowed, the students were gathered around them, knowing the two were rivals since first year. Merlin, why was he looking at her so smugly, why was she getting nervous? Coming closer, he was certainly a head taller than her, it was adding to that feeling of nervousness. She wanted to step back and run away.

He looked behind her and dropped his smug expression. "Look out, Potter, a Dementor!" He said with a fearful face.

Ashley turned around and saw others students do the same. Hagrid cleared his throat and gestured towards the creature close to him. It looked like a gray horse, only it had wings and feathers and the head of a bird. "Say hello to Buckbeak!" Hagrid threw a piece of meat or something like that to the beast and Buckbeak caught it with minimal effort. Ashley was stunned by the magical creature in front of her.

"Hagrid, what exactly is that?" Ron wondered out loud.

"That is a hippogriff. First thing you wanna know about hippogriffs," He walked closer to them. "Is that they are really proud creatures. Very easily offended. You do not want to insult a hippogriff. It could be the last thing you ever do." So it was dangerous. "Now," Hagrid clapped his hands with a grin. "Who would like to come and say hello?" 

Ashley kept looking at the hippogriff in awe. It might dangerous and odd but it was beautiful. More beautiful than a lot of animals in the Muggle world. Suddenly she heard Hagrid's voice talking to her. "Well done, Ashley! Well done." Ashley furrowed her brows, what was he congratulating her for? She looked around, all students had backed away when Hagrid asked for a volunteer, leaving Ashley alone. Seeing that they had all backed away she got a feeling of worry in her stomach.

She gulped and walked ahead hesitantly. "Come, now, you have to let him make the first move. It's only polite. So step up, give him a nice bow." Ashley stopped and stood. "Then wait and see if he bows back. If he does, you can go pet him. If not, well, we'll get to that later." Hagrid concluded. Ashley started bowing, her eyes glued to the beast. "Nice and low." 

The hippogriff noticed Ashley's presence and made sounds, opened its wings and moved them up and down frantically. "Back off, Ashley, back off!" Hagrid instructed hurriedly. Ashley stepped back, still bowing, her heart racing. The hippogriff stopped flapping its wings and regarded her. Buckbeak made some more sounds as he took position and lowered his head, showing his own sigh of respect. Hagrid chuckled happily. "Well done, Ashley, well done, you big brute, here," He threw another piece of meat and the beast caught it in his mouth. 

Ashley stood again, relieved and her heart rate started going back to normal. She smiled. "I think you can pet him now. Come on, don't be shy." Hagrid encouraged. Ashley breathed in and started walking towards the hippogriff. She extended her arm. The beast was very hesitant, extending its head and then moving back again. "Slowly, slowly, let him come to you." Hagrid said.

The hippogriff sniffed her hand and let his beak touch her palm. She grinned and placed her palm farther on his face, touching his soft feathers. Buckbeak seemed to be rather pleased. "Well done, Ashley!" Hagrid was clapping. The students copied the teacher.

 "I think he may let you ride him now." Hagrid said and grabbed Ashley.

"What?! Hey, wait!-"

"Put you over here, just behind the wing joint-"

"No, Hagrid-" Ashley was panicking.

"Don't pull any of his feathers cause he won't thank you for that!" 

Hagrid hit the Buckbeak's backside and the creature stood at its two legs making Ashley hold on to his neck so that she didn't fall over. He howled and started running, his hooves grazing the dirt and making mist come up. She barely had any time to glance at the shocked students before Buckbeak spread his wings open and took off into the air. She screamed as they went up and over the trees of the forest, the autumn air hitting her against her face and making her black hair dance. They were flying over the castle of Hogwarts, over the highest towers.

Then they went ahead, over the crystal lake. Ashley was full of adrenaline, scared but thrilled. The hippogriff lowered and went close to the surface of the water. She could see their reflection. The girl with the winged magical creature. She couldn't stop grinning. Buckbeak let his right claws caress the water as Ashley let out a wail of happiness and excitement. She laughed in glee and held onto the creature tighter when they went upwards again. Soon, she could see Hagrid through the trees as he whistled.

The hippogriff crept through the trees and returned to the ground. Ashley saw the students were cheering again when they saw her. The creature ran a little again before halting and letting Ashley be lifted off. 

"Good job, Ashley, well done, Buckbeak." Hagrid congratulated once more. The students were clapping, everyone except Draco Malfoy. 

He was not having it. "Oh, please." He said standing up and stomping with a scowl. He just couldn't accept that she was perfect at  _everything_ and  _everyone_ loved her. Even those magical beasts. He couldn't believe he had actually felt a slight hint of concern when she was first nearing it. Hell, if she could pet that thing and be carried by it, then so could he! It probably wasn't even dangerous and they were congratulating her like there was no tomorrow! Jealous? Yeah, yeah he was. 

"You're not dangerous at all, are you, you great ugly brute?" He was heading straight for the beast with no formalities. Obviously that was a bad idea. The hippogriff went at two legs and howled in anger. Draco held his arm as defense as he tried backing away in fear. But before he could back away, Buckbeak's claws came into contact with his arm. He fell down, losing his balance, holding his arm with his other arm as his expression turned pained. 

Hagrid went between them and stopped Buckbeak's outburst. He threw a piece of meat to him and he quickly forgot about what happened and went to eat it. Ashley walked to Draco Malfoy. "It's killed me! It's killed me!" He said on his side.

Ashley rolled her eyes slightly and sighed. "You're so dramatic, you know that?"

Hagrid came running before the blond acknowledged her comment. "It's just a scratch, calm down." He was in panic. 

Ashley looked from Hagrid to Draco Malfoy. "Hagrid, he needs to be taken to the hospital." She told him. No matter how badly hurt he was. Which they didn't know yet. She thought it couldn't be that bad, but they couldn't risk it.

"Right. I'm the teacher, I'll do it." Hagrid took Malfoy into his arms, Draco was numb and let out breaths and gasps dramatically as he let himself be carried by Hagrid. She watched his platinum hair fall back with his head. Merlin, why was she paying so much attention to his hair?

"You're gonna regret this." He threatened weakly.

"Class dismissed!" Hagrid stated.

"You and your bloody chicken! Agh." Ashley really rolled her eyes at that and huffed. Buckbeak, a chicken. She smiled.

The creature was suddenly next to her again and nudged her with his beak. She petted his head once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> /I live in the sky, you come live here too, I'm queen of the clouds./


	17. Pt.3. 17. Prisoner of Azkaban

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I feel like at this point the love story has begun. 
> 
> No? ;_;

The following day, Ashley was at the table at Great Hall during breakfast with her friends. She hadn't heard anything about Malfoy before walking in, if it was serious he would probably be still in the hospital.

Ashley had to endure Draco's blabbering about his arm during the entire breakfast. 

It wasn't by choice of course, she sat down next to Hermione but the Slytherin table was next to them and Draco had decided to sit close to them, plus he was talking rather loud.

"Does it hurt terribly Draco?" She heard the girl who was leaning towards him ask. 

Malfoy's arm was wrapped in bandages and it was held up by a fabric that was around his neck. "It comes and it goes." He started saying and Ashley watched with narrowed eyes. "Still, I consider myself lucky. Eh-Madam Pomfrey said another minute and I could have, uh, lost my arm. Can't possibly do homework for weeks." 

Ashley scowled and 'ts'ed loudly making Hermione and Ron look at her. "Can he be more exaggerative?"

Ron huffed. "Right? He is laying it on really thick, isn't he?"

Ashley sighed. "Well, at least Hagrid isn't fired."

Hermione chipped in. "Yet. Lucious Malfoy must be really furious. I don't think we've heard the end of this." She said bitterly.

 Ashley connected her brows in mild worry. Then Seamus shouted. "He's been sighted, he's been sighted!"

 Gryffindor students gathered around Seamus who placed a newspaper on the table. Even students in other Houses and tables perked up to see what the fuzz was about. 

"Who?" Ron asked.

"Sirius Black!" Seamus answered. 

Ashley went and stood over the newspaper with the man's moving picture. "Dufftown? That's not for from here." Hermione exclaimed.

"You don't think he'd come to Hogwarts do you?" Neville asked alert.

Ashley looked around. The topic was concerning her more than they knew. "With Dementors at every entrance?" Dean Thomas asked.

"Dementors? He slipped past them once, who's to say he won't do it again?" Seamus remarked.

"That's right. Black could be anywhere. It's like trying to catch smoke. Trying to catch smoke with your bare hands." Ashley shivered and stared at the picture.

The man was screaming and moving around, he looked mad. This man wanted to kill her. And he was not far from her. 

 

* * *

Today they had their first Defense Against The Dark Arts lesson. The classroom was styled completely different from last year. There were no desks and seats.

It so happened that it was a subject she was having with Slytherin students like last year. Still she was looking forward to getting accustomed with professor Lupin and get to know what he was going to teach them and how we was going to perform the lesson.

There was a wardrobe with mirrors on it, reflecting the students as they stood across from it in a mass. Professor Lupin welcomed them and made a short introduction before jumping straight to the lesson. The wardrobe was jumping occasionally, not to the point where it could fall over but enough to understand something was in there wanting to get out.

"Intriguing, isn't it?" She heard the teacher ask. "Would anyone like to venture a guess," He started walking around the room. "As to what is inside?" 

Ashley had no idea. "That's a boggart, that is." Dean Thomas said.

"Very good, Mr. Thomas. Now, can anyone tell me what a boggart looks like?" Lupin asked. Suddenly a voice next to her started talking.

"No one knows. Boggarts are shape shifters. They take the form of whatever a particular person fears the most. That's what makes them so-" Hermione was cut off by the teacher.

"So terrifying. Yes." Lupin confirmed. "Luckily, a very simple charm exists to repel a boggart. Let's practice it now. Without wands, please." He instructed. "After me,  _Riddikulous!"_

After saying it twice, she felt like it was very easy. She looked a little to the right and caught a hint of white. Draco Malfoy was rolling his eyes and whispered something to Crabbe. Crabbe nodded as Draco turned to look ahead and noticed Ashley's eyes on him.

Ashley moved her gaze back to the teacher instantly. Crap, he caught her looking.

"But the incantation isn't enough. What truly finishes a boggart is laughter. You need to force it to assume a shape you find truly amusing. Let me explain. Neville, would you join me please?"

Neville was frozen. Ashley turned to look at him and she felt sorry that he was going to be the first to test this, he was always the unfortunate one. He finally walked ahead with Lupin's encouragement and stood. "Hello, Neville. What frightens you most of all?"

"Prfesrsnay"

"Sorry?"

"Professor Snape."

The students started laughing, Ashley chuckled. "Professor Snape." Lupin drawed out the name humorously. "Yes, frightens, all. Now, you live with your grandmother, is that correct?" 

"Yes but- I don't want the boggart to turn into her either!" He quickly said making the students laugh again. 

"No... It won't. I want you to picture her clothes, only her clothes, very clearly in your mind." He told Neville.

"She carries a red handbag-"

"We don't need to hear. As long as you see it, we will see it. When I open that wardrobe, here's what I want you to do," He neared Neville and whispered something in his ear. Neville looked at him with surprise and confusion.

"Can you do that?" Ashely wondered what he told him to do. But she didn't have to wonder for long.

When the boggart came out of the wardrobe, it was professor Snape, no differences. Which was crazy. Neville said the spell and Snape was suddenly dressed in a skirt and a coat, a feathered hat, with heels and a handbag. Everyone was cracking up. Ashley was laughing to the point where her laughter made Hermione laugh louder. She thought she felt tears in the corners of her eyes.

Draco Malfoy laughed too, though, not nearly as much as she did. But it was still a real laugh. She moved her gaze away before he could catch her again, satisfied. 

And so the lesson carried on with the students making a line as everyone would face their fears and turn them into something funny with music playing in the back.

 Of course when it was Ashley's turn, things had to get serious. The boggart had taken the form of a Dementor and professor Lupin interrupted. She hadn't really expected her biggest fear to be that. She imagined it would be Voldemort. It should have been that.

Class was over, she headed back to the dormitory. The day continued smoothly, she studied with Hermione and that was it. 

The next day however, wasn't going to go as smoothly. After their classes ended and they all headed back to their dormitories, the Gryffindor Tower couldn't be entered. The Fat Lady was gone from the painting that was the door to the Common room and the painting itself was ripped. It was like something scratched it with its claws. 

Even the Headmaster arrived at the scene, examined the door and ordered every painting to look for the Fat Lady. In the end, she appeared in another painting to the left. She was terrified and when asked about the person responsible she said it was Sirius Black.

Dumbledore made all Gryffindor students sleep at the Great Hall, as the Common room couldn't be accessed. Ashley was breathing heavily in terror, the person wanting to murder her was here, standing where she was, looking for her. 

Hermione urged Ashley on, to go to the Great Hall like the Headmaster ordered. She saw the news upsetted not only her housemates but also the other Houses. Some wanted to check out the scene themselves.

The castle was secured, the huge gate with its mechanisms was enabled. Ashley could hear it in the silence of the dark, everyone either sleeping or just lying there in blankets on the floor. Ashley didn't sleep much. She couldn't sleep, feeling like if she closed her eyes, Sirius Black would take it as a chance to kill her. 

It wasn't until later on that she got any sleep. When she heard Dumbledore, Snape and Lupin discussing the matter while checking on all of the students she felt safe. Black wasn't there anymore. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> /I think I try too hard, how I look what I do what I'm saying, I spend too much time explaining myself./
> 
> Fantastic Beasts was amazing, oh my god?


	18. Pt.3. 18. Prisoner of Azkaban

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One of my faves so far!

After that night, everything was normal again. And autumn moved on. The weather was getting colder. While this happened, Ashley thought of Quidditch. The first game will be with Slytherin much like last year. 

In fact, now, a day before the match, it was all Ashley could think about. She had practiced a few times with her team but she knew from expreience that practice wasn't always all that mattered.

Draco Malfoy may still be wearing the loose fabric around his neck that help his arm but she doubted he had any reason to do so other than that he wanted to seem more hurt than he actually was. So she didn't feel more confidence for the game tomorrow. 

There had been a trip to Hogsmead, a village a little farther down from Hogwarts. Of course, Ashley had missed it because the Dursleys wouldn't sign the paper that allowed her to go. She tried asking professor McGonagall but she was clear. Only a parent or a guardian can sign it. Ashley seemed to fall flat on both.

Now she was waiting for their last class for the day, which was Defense Against The Dark Arts. Lupin was running a bit late. They were in another classroom today, this one had seats and desks. It so happened that her desk was next to Malfoy's in the row. She tried to ignore that and sat down.

Suddenly the door opened and professor Snape came rushing in, using his wand to shut the windows. He spread the board open and turned to the students. "Turn to page 394."

Everyone was wondering why Snape was there and not professor Lupin. Nevertheless, they opened their books and looked for the page. As they did that, Snape started walking down the class. Ashley decided to voice her question.

"Excuse me, sir, where is professor Lupin?" She asked without a trace of annoyance, very kindly, so that Snape didn't start yelling at her.

Snape stopped his walk at her desk. "That's not really your concern, Miss Potter." He said but at least not loudly. "Suffice it to say your professor finds himself incapable of teaching," He told the class and continued walking. "At the present time. Turn to page 394."

"But sir," Said a voice next to Ashley. "We had just begun learning about red caps and hinkypunks. We're not meant to start that piece for weeks."

"When did she come in?" Ashley heard Ron hissing. Ashley didn't know how Hermione kept popping up in classes but it was pointless asking her. 

"Quiet." Was Snape's response.

Hermione next to her placed her book on her desk. "Now, which one of you can tell me the difference between an Animagus and a werewolf?" Hermione's hand shot up like usual. "No one? How disappointing." 

"Please sir, an Animagus is a wizard who elects to turn into an animal. A werewolf has no choice. With each full moon when he transforms he no longer remembers who he is. He'd kill his best friend if he crossed his path. Furthermore a werewolf only responds to the call of his own kind."

Draco Malfoy howled mockingly and laughed with Crabbe. Ashley didn't look at him but rolled her eyes. "Thank you, Mr. Malfoy, that is the second time you've spoken out of turn, Miss Granger. Are you incapable of restraining yourself or do you take pride in being an insufferable know-it-all?" 

 _Well, it's better knowing too much than knowing too little_ , Ashley thought. But obviously professor Snape didn't support that opinion as his next words were, "Five points from Gryffindor." Ashley was stunned and so were the rest of the Gryffindor students. She turned to look at Malfoy expecting to find him smirking and content that they lost points so unfairly. But she found him blowing air to a bird made out of paper, her way. Then, he smirked, pleased with himself.

The bird flew to Ashley and she captured it in her hands, stopping its wings from moving more. She was very confused as to what this was and why he sent it to her. "By Monday morning two rolls of parchment on the werewolf, with emphasis," The class started mumbling in indignation, Ashley sighed. "On recognizing it."

"But sir, it's Quidditch tomorrow." Ashley said with exasperation. 

"Then I suggest you take extra care, Miss Potter." Snape said nearing her. "Loss of limb will not excuse you. Page 394." Ashley was gritting her teeth. Snape left her desk and went through with the lesson. "Werewolf is a contraction..."

Ashley looked at the bird in her hands and at Malfoy. He was watching her and at her look of question he mouthed "Open it." Ashley obliged and unraveled the paper bird. It was a moving drawing of her on a broom, someone hitting her head with a buldger and laughing while she let her hands off the broom in agony. Ashley flared her nostrils and turned to the right to glare at him. 

Smirking proudly, he moved his brows up and down. Ashley gritted her teeth again and looked at the drawing. She had an idea. 

She let the class carry on and when they were dismissed, she acted. She quickly put her book in her schoolbag and walked fast to his desk before he left the class.

She slammed the crumpled drawing on the wood, hard. He looked up at her in amusement and surprise. She started talking with a look of superiority, a smirk at the corners of her mouth, her brows turned down to indicate pity. "Your drawing skills are in desperate need of work, Draco." 

She walked past him, not giving him a chance to answer her, a content grin on her face. She walked out of the classroom and she couldn't help but feel too damn good about what she did. She couldn't stop smirking for about an hour.

 

* * *

The game was a disaster.

There was pouring rain, lightning, wind and mist. It was almost impossible to spot the Snitch in such weather. Slytherin was beating Gryffindor but not by much. During the entire match Ashley was looking for the Snitch. Her black hair was wet and clung to her face. Everyone was basically soaked but the game continued.

Draco Malfoy didn't seem to enjoy the weather either. She saw gold and went straight after it. Draco Malfoy seemed not too fond of following her though, she was going high in the clouds. 

Ashley went upwards, exteneded her arm to catch the Snitch and noticed her broom was beginning to get frosted. Her goggles were in the same condition. That's when she realized she was too high. The damn Snitch was still going. A black umberella went over her head and she looked around. She was trembling in the cold.

Black cloaks were in the clouds and she was reminded of the fact that Hogwarts had Dementors around. She gasped in horror, her heart beating even faster. She flew as quickly as she could trying to get away. Screw the Snitch, these are Dementors. But they had seen her now, they were trying to reach her and she decided she better go lower, to the game.

Trying to escape them, a Dementor came up in front of her and sucked her soul for a few seconds. She despised this feeling, she wanted to scream. Somehow she must have devolped some vulnerability because even though this Dementor's attack lasted less than one in the train, she felt utterly weak and numb. She lost her senses and as a result, she let go of her broom.

Down and down she went. 

Hermione placed her hands on her mouth in shock and Ron gasped. Thankfully, Dumbledore was fast enough to cast a spell that saved her from falling to her death or from major injuries. " _Aresto momentum!"_

Professors and students went to Ashley and she was transported to the hospital. Dumbledore sent the Dementors away in anger. Even students from other Houses went to see Ashley. Draco Malfoy gave up. As if he could catch the Snitch at this bloody weather when Ashley Potter was unconscious and taken to the hospital.

He landed down, making the game end there because the two Seekers weren't able to search for the Snitch anymore. Slytherin won. He didn't waste time with his team, he went straight to the hospital to see Potter for himself. You know, he couldn't miss that. 

He had convinced himself he wanted to go see her and laugh at her condition. Ashley Potter was on the hospital bed, her Gryffindor friends around her. He wanted to vomit. 

The weasels, the mudblood and Longbottom. It really was a shame. Merlin, how many times has he thought that in his mind? Anyway, there was nothing fun in the sight. Draco shouldn't be there, he had no place.

Ashley would wake up and she would be fine. No broken limbs or anything. And he may use that as a whine to Crabbe, Goyle and his Slytherin friends, but inside, it eased him. He was ashamed to admit to anyone, even to himself that when he saw her falling from the sky he was frozen with fear. 

So when he was back at the Slytherin Dungeon he mocked her, he tried to convince himself that what happened was funny, that it was a shame she was not harmed. It wasn't hard, after all he is exceptional at pretending.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> /We play dumb but we know exactly what we're doing./


End file.
